replica watches

2 killed in new Tunisian violence

Clashes between police and protesters in a Tunisian mining town killed two people Friday and injured 20, in a new outburst of violence in a country struggling for stability after a revolution that rocked the Arab world. The deadly protest came as a member of the deposed president's much-hated family was sentenced to prison on Friday, amid efforts by Tunisia's interim authorities to further distance themselves from the former regime. Weeks of deadly protests drove out President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in January. Violence has largely subsided, but discontent remains. The Interior Ministry said police fired tear gas and demonstrators threw stones and gasoline bombs at the protest in the town of Metlaoui in central Tunisia. The ministry said on its Facebook page two people were killed and 20 injured. It said they were shot from hunting rifles, not police weapons, but Knockoff handbags did not elaborate. State news agency TAP reported that the protests started after rumors emerged that the regional phosphate mining company, CPG, was secretly recruiting in a specific tribal area instead of opening its jobs to the entire local population. Local authorities insisted the rumors were unfounded, but about 1,000 people still turned out to protest. CPG is the region's biggest employer. Unemployment was a central complaint of the protesters who drove out Ben Ali. Also Friday, a Tunis court sentenced a brother-in-law of Ben Ali to two months in prison for deceiving customs authorities, and also fined him 45 million dinars ($32 million). It's the first conviction to hit the ousted president's entourage. TAP said Mohamed Naceur Trabelsi, who has remained in Tunisia, was convicted of two customs infractions linked to his clothing business. He is a brother of former first lady Leila Trabelsi, whose family monopolized several industries and was deeply resented by many Tunisians and accused of widespread corruption. Meanwhile, Tunisia's caretaker government is struggling to build new political institutions to replace bodies dominated by Ben Ali and his recently Burberry handbags on sale dissolved RCD party, including the two houses of parliament. An administrative court on Friday froze all bonuses and perks for parliament members, based on a complaint by an activist lawyer who wants to ensure that legislators from the Ben Ali era aren't benefiting from taxpayer largesse. Tunisia's parliament has been effectively frozen since Ben Ali left and the parliament speaker, Fouad Mebazaa, became interim president and was given the power to rule by decree. Elections have been set for July 24 for a body that will devise a new constitution, a step toward new legislative and presidential elections.

posted by: h0713 at 01:42 | link | comments |

Signs announce new gang in western Mexico state

Banners hung in a western Mexican state announced a previously unknown gang calling itself the "Knights Templar" on Thursday, less than a month after the local La Familia drug cartel said it intended to disband. The signs said the "Knights" will replace the cartel, which is considered Mexico's leading trafficker of methamphetamines, and fend off any other gangs looking to make inroads in Michoacan state. "To the people of Michoacan, we inform you that starting today we will be carrying out here the altruistic activities previously realized by La Familia Michoacana," read one sign, hung on the fence of a school. "We will be at the service of the people of Michoacan to attend to any situation that threatens the safety of Michoacanos," it continued. "Our commitment is to: keep order; avoid robberies, kidnappings, extortion; and protect the state from possible (interventions) by rival organizations. The Knights Templar." There was no immediate christian shoes comment from police, who quickly removed the banners hung from places like footbridges, a public square, a monument and elsewhere in the state capital, Morelia, and in Zitacuaro, Apatzingan and other cities. Such signs are commonly used by drug gangs to threaten rivals, to deny responsibility for crimes or to send messages to authorities. The authenticity of the banners, which marked the first public mention of the "Knights Templar," could not immediately be determined. The name alludes to a Christian order of knights founded in 1118 in Jerusalem to protect pilgrims in the Holy Land after the First Crusade. Michoacan is the stronghold of La Familia, which has tried to cast itself as a defender of the people, though authorities called that stance a public relations strategy to hide its true nature. In late January, a series of "narco-banners" appeared in Michoacan and neighboring Guerrero state claiming La Familia had decided to disband. Authorities dismissed the claims at the time and called the signs a desperate ploy to distract attention. They said La Familia was on the defensive marc jacobs handbags sale due to the capture and killings of top members, including cartel leader Nazario Moreno, nicknamed "The Craziest One." Moreno died in a shootout with police Dec. 9. More than 35,000 people have died across Mexico in drug violence since December 2006, when President Felipe Calderon launched an all- out offensive against cartels. Much of the violence has taken place in Michoacan, where a small-town police chief was found slain Thursday, shot seven times in the torso and head. Jorge Nunez Espinoza, public safety director in Santiago Tangamandapio, had not been seen since leaving his office Wednesday night. His body was found early the next morning steps from his SUV. Three police chiefs have been killed so far this year in Michoacan, the same number as in 2010, state prosecutors said in a statement. In Guerrero, meanwhile, authorities on Thursday completed the recovery of nine people's remains from three clandestine graves, regional prosecutor Enrique Gil said. The bodies discount marc jacobs handbags were found in a national park on the outskirts of the Pacific coast resort city of Acapulco. In the city itself, a severed human head was found Thursday just off the hotel-lined main avenue that hugs the bay, state police said in a statement.

posted by: h0713 at 03:29 | link | comments |

Egyptian women's rights protest marred by hecklers

A protest by hundreds of Egyptian women demanding equal rights and an end to sexual harassment turned violent Tuesday when crowds of men heckled and shoved the demonstrators, telling them to go home where they belong. The women — some in headscarves and flowing robes, others in jeans — had marched to Cairo's central Tahrir Square to celebrate International Women's Day. But crowds of men soon outnumbered them and chased them out. "They said that our role was to stay home and raise presidents, not to run for president," said Farida Helmy, a 24-year old journalist. Sexual harassment remains widespread in Egypt, where women often are afraid to report sexual assault or harassment for fear they and their families will be stigmatized. A 2008 survey by the Egyptian Center for Women's Rights found that 83 percent of Egyptian women and 98 percent of foreign women in Cairo said they had been harassed — while 62 percent of men admitted to harassing. Tahrir Square was christian louboutins shoes the epicenter of the protests that toppled President Hosni Mubarak last month after nearly 30 years in power. Women in Egypt had reported that Tahrir had been free of the groping and leering endemic in the country, but on Feb. 11, CBS correspondent Lara Logan was sexually assaulted and beaten on the final night of the 18-day revolt. The Associated Press does not name victims of sexual assault unless they agree to be identified. At Tuesday's march, men scolded protesters and said their concerns were not urgent in the aftermath of the uprising. When the women argued back, some were verbally abused or groped. Others were beaten and had to be ripped away from the groups of men. Mostafa Hussein, 30, said many protesters had to flee the area and hide in a park nearby. "They were running for their lives and the army had to fire a shot in the air to break up the mob chasing them," Hussein said. Passant Rabie, 23, said she was surprised that the women were abused after the role they played in the uprising. Women were central to the protests, leading chants, spending cold nights in the square and even fighting during the battle of Black Wednesday, when pro- government henchmen attacked the protesters. "I thought phillip lim handbags we were going to be celebrated as women of the revolution because we were present during the days of Tahrir," Rabie said. "Unless women are included now, we are going to be oppressed." On the occasion of the International Women's Day, U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton, said on Tuesday that the transitions from autocracy in Egypt and Tunisia would be incomplete as long as half of society remained blocked from participating in governance. "The United States will stand firmly for the proposition that women must be included in whatever process goes forward," she said.

posted by: h0713 at 03:52 | link | comments |

Ivorian forces kill 7, post-election toll hits 365

Ivorian security forces shot dead seven women protestors on Thursday and the United Nations said at least 365 people had died in violence since disputed elections that have taken the country to the brink of civil war. Many others were wounded in the attack on the all-women demonstration against incumbent Laurent Gbagbo in the northern Abidjan suburb of Abobo, two witnesses and a security source said. The U.N. said some 200,000 people had fled their homes in Abobo, leaving it almost completely deserted after heavy fighting last week. The power struggle between presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara and Gbagbo, who has rejected widespread calls to stand down after a November 28 election, could push the top cocoa grower back into civil war. ICE cocoa hit a fresh 32-year peak of $3,726 a tonne in early trading on Thursday as the crisis deepened. The incident took place as women gathered at the Anador roundabout in Abobo for a planned march to call on Gbagbo to step down, an eye witness said. "Men in uniform drove up Gucci handbags and started shooting randomly. Six women died on the spot. They were all shot and the other women are crying," said Idrissa Diarrassouba. A seventh woman later died in hospital. A poll meant to reunify a country divided since its 2002-3 war has instead triggered a crisis that has seen killings and forced people from their homes in Abidjan and the west, where some 70,000 have crossed into Liberia. Last week Abobo saw heavy clashes between pro-Gbagbo forces and gunmen who are calling themselves the "invisible commandos" and have taken control of parts of the area. Pro-Gbagbo forces remain in the area around Anador. Another Abobo resident said that 10 women had been killed and dozens others wounded when the security forces opened fire. "I'm standing next to a body right now, with a bullet hole in her neck," said Moussa Fofana, a teacher. There was no official comment on the incident. A military source confirmed the shooting but said it had been an accident. "It was a blunder that we regret," the source said, adding the security forces had opened fire due to the tension and the fact they believe rebels sometimes hide amongst civilians to attack them. "It is unfortunate that this happened," he said. Gbagbo has retained the loyalty of much of the security forces but has been hit by a raft of sanctions. Ouattara, meanwhile has the support of the international Chanel handbags community and is holed up in an Abidjan hotel, protected by U.N. troops. Both men have set up their own governments but neither are functioning properly and the economy is paralyzed. MOUNTING TOLLS U.N. mission spokesman Hamadoun Toure said the official confirmed death toll from violence since the election was 365, but diplomats believe the real figure to be far higher because the Ivorian military rarely discloses casualties of its own or civilians killed by its troops. Toure said at least 26 civilians were killed and more than 200,000 displaced from Abobo since fighting flared up. The International Crisis Group think tank warned Gbagbo was ready to fight to the end "even if it meant throwing Ivory Coast into anarchy and economic disaster," and said Ouattara should seek to form a national unity government to heal divisions. "The most likely scenario in the coming months is armed conflict involving massive violence against civilians, Ivorian and foreign alike, that could provoke unilateral military intervention by neighbors, starting with Burkina Faso," ICG said in a report "Is War the Only Option?." Scores of gunmen and civilians are believed to have been killed in fighting in the past week, residents say. Toure told cheap chanel handbags journalists negotiations were ongoing with both sides to open up a humanitarian corridor into Abobo in order to bring in food aid and medicine. He was concerned by reports the "invisible commandos" were preventing some civilians from leaving the areas they control and by attacks against U.N. staff by Gbagbo's youth supporters, who have set up road blocks all over Abidjan to search vehicles of suspected rebels or U.N. staff Gbagbo accuses of aiding them.

posted by: h0713 at 08:48 | link | comments |

Oman clashes widen protest rumblings in Gulf

Protests against the tight grip of Gulf rulers widened Sunday as riot police in Oman battled pro-democracy demonstrators in a deadly clash that sharply raised tensions in the region. Tiny Bahrain is already in turmoil and giant Saudi Arabia is seeking to hold back calls for reforms. The Gulf protests have shaken the once-comfortable command of various monarchs and sheiks. An ever deeper and sustained political revolt would thrust the Arab world's uprising into the heart of the region's oil riches and Washington's front-line allies against Iran. The U.S. has long counted on the Gulf's rulers as reliable partners — particularly their common ground over concerns about Iran's efforts to expand its influence. No ruling system has given way, but cracks are evident. Protesters are calling for the ouster of the Bahrain monarchy that hosts the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet. Marchers on Sunday streamed through the diplomatic zone in Bahrain's capital Manama, chanting slogans against the king. Opposition forces, meanwhile, are showing resolve to challenge the absolute rule of dynasties in Saudi Arabia and now Oman, which shares with Iran control of the strategic oil tanker route through the Strait of Hormouz and is a mediator between Iran and the West. In the Omani town of Sohar, security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters demanding a greater voice in the country's affairs. At least one person was killed, police officials said, but other reports cited Omani media sources saying at least two died. discount christian louboutin Oman's state-run news agency said protesters set cars and houses on fire, burned down a police station and set the governor's residence ablaze in the seaside town, about 120 miles (200 kilometers) northwest of the capital of Muscat. It marked the first serious confrontation against protesters seeking to open up the ruling system of Sultan Qaboos bin Said, whose nation straddles the southeast corner of the Arabian peninsula and is co-guardian of the Strait of Hormuz. About 40 percent of the world's oil tanker traffic passes through the waterway at the mouth of the Gulf. The sultan has already take bold steps to try to quell the unrest. On Saturday, he replaced six Cabinet members and last week boosted the minimum wage by more than 40 percent. "We want new faces in the government and we have a long list of social reforms," said Habiba al-Hanay, a 45-year-old civil servant. Omanis are not seeking to oust the country's ruler, al-Hanay said. "We just hope he will hear us and make changes," she added, noting that unemployment is high and education is poor in the country, which only has one university. The tone appeared different in Bahrain, which has been gripped by nearly two weeks of protests and clashes that have left seven people dead. Protesters streamed through Bahrain's diplomatic area and other sites Sunday, chanting slogans against the country's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and rejecting his appeals for talks to end the political crisis. At least three processions paralyzed parts of the capital, Manama, and appeared to reflect a growing defiance of calls by Bahrain's rulers to hold talks. about christian louboutin "No dialogue until the regime is gone," marchers chanted as they moved through the highly protected zone of embassies and diplomatic compounds. No violence was reported. Bahrain is among the most politically volatile nations in the Gulf — with majority Shiites claiming widespread discrimination by the Sunni rulers — and was the first in the region to be hit by the demands for reform sweeping the Arab world. Some of the marchers in Bahrain claim that authorities still hold more than 200 political prisoners despite the release of about 100 political detainees last week. Shiites, who account for about 70 percent of the country's 525,000 people, have long complained of discrimination and other abuses by the Sunni dynasty that has ruled for more than two centuries. Bahrain's leaders, meanwhile, face pressure from other Gulf leaders to stand firm. Many Sunnis across the region fear that conceding significant power to Bahrain's Shiites could open the door for greater influence by Shiite powerhouse Iran. In Saudi Arabia, more than 100 leading Saudi academics and activists have joined calls for Western-allied King Abdullah to enact sweeping reforms, including relinquishing many powers under a constitutional monarchy. The statement seen on several Saudi websites Sunday reflects the undercurrent of tension that has simmered for years in the world's largest oil producer. While King Abdullah is seen as a reformer, the pace of those reforms has been slow as Saudi officials balance the need to push the country forward with the perennial pressure from hard-line clergy in the conservative nation. new christian louboutin sandals Abdullah has tried to fend off the protest rumblings with a spending spree. On Sunday, he ordered government sector workers employed under temporary contracts be offered permanent jobs with major benefits. It followed a slew of measures last week under a $36 billion package that includes interest free loans to Saudis for needs such as marriage, starting a business or buying furniture. A key test may come next month. Social media sites have called for protest rallies in Saudi Arabia on March 11. Demonstrations also are planned March 8 in Kuwait, one of the few Gulf states with a powerful elected parliament and a highly organized political opposition. Last month, Kuwait lawmakers nearly brought down the nation's prime minister with a no-confidence vote.

posted by: h0713 at 08:56 | link | comments |

Bahrain army clamps down after protests crushed

Bahrain's army has deployed across Manama vowing "strict measures" to restore order after a police raid on anti-regime protesters killed three, wounded nearly 200 and enraged the opposition. Protesters gathered outside a hospital where the wounded were being treated to chant anti-regime slogans, while the largest Shiite opposition bloc said it was quitting parliament and called on the government to resign. Concerned that events in Bahrain could destabilise the entire region, Gulf foreign ministers met in Manama later on Thursday and expressed their "total support for Bahrain in the areas of politics, economy, security and defence." In Washington, US President Barack Obama expressed opposition to the use of force, while Secretary of State Hilary Clinton said those who did use it should be held accountable. Witnesses said riot police stormed through Pearl Square, the epicentre of pro-democracy protests that have shaken the Gulf island state, in the early hours of Thursday firing hollow-point bullets, rubber bullets and tear gas, sending hundreds of protesters fleeing. "The health ministry has counted three dead and around 195 wounded," Health Minister Faisal al-Hamr was quoted by the official BNA news agency as saying. Hamr said most of those Sex toys store injured had returned home, but that 43 people were still being treated, including one whom doctors were trying to resuscitate. Opposition members and witnesses said the police raid was launched without warning at around 3:00 am (midnight GMT). "They attacked the square, where hundreds of people were spending the night in tents," said one witness, 37-year-old Fadel Ahmad. Relatives of the victims gathered outside the hospital, angry and weeping. In the course of the day, hundreds of people joined them, chanting "Death to Al-Khalifa" -- referring to the royal family. Others queued to donate blood. Thursday's deaths brought the total to five since Monday, when authorities began cracking down on protesters demanding political and social reform. Security forces deployed across Manama, with armed police blocking roads leading to the square and setting up checkpoints in other streets, causing heavy traffic congestion. Witnesses said dozens of armoured military vehicles were parked near Pearl Square as the military warned of "strict measures" to restore security in Bahrain, where clashes this week have left a total of six people dead. Bahrain's defence forces will "take all strict and preventive measures to restore security and public order," a defence ministry spokesman christian louboutin wedges said in a statement. The ministry also urged people to "refrain from gathering in vital areas." Interior ministry spokesman General Tarek al-Hassan said in an earlier statement that police had had no option but to raid the square. "The security forces evacuated Pearl Square ... after having exhausted all chance of dialogue," Hassan said, as quoted by the official news agency BNA. "Some left the place of their own accord, while others refused to submit to the law, which required an intervention to disperse them," he said. Bahraini Foreign Minister Khaled bin Ahmed al-Thani told a press conference on Thursday evening that the police intervention was justified to prevenet "a sectarian conflict and an economic crisis." Thousands of demonstrators, inspired by uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, had been occupying the square since Tuesday, after police killed two young Shiite demonstrators during anti-government protests. Bahrain's opposition demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa's government in the wake of the raid, a Shiite opposition bloc said. "The opposition groups, including Al-Wefaq, have issued a statement demanding the government resign and calling for the formation of a new government Adult toy to investigate this crime," said Al-Wefaq bloc's leader, Ali Salman. "We have decided to completely pull out from parliament," added Salman, whose bloc holds 18 seats in the country's 40-member elected house. A US official said in Washington that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had spoken to Sheikh Khaled on Thursday, urging Bahrain to show restraint over protests. "She expressed deep concern about recent events and urged restraint moving forward. They discussed political and economic reform efforts to respond to the citizens of Bahrain," the State Department official told AFP. She also said Bahrain must "hold accountable" those who use excessive force. And Obama's spokesman Jay Carney said the president's view is that "we oppose the use of violence by the government of Bahrain." At the same time, the Pentagon said US Defense Secretary Robert Gates discussed with the deputy commander of the Bahraini military by telephone the "current security situation." Bahrain is home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet. British christian louboutin locations Foreign Secretary William Hague also called on Bahrain to exercise restraint, and Alistair Burt, a junior foreign minister with responsibility for the Middle East said London was reviewing decisions to export arms to the country. And Iran, an overwhelmingly Shiite country, called on Bahrain to exercise restraint and heed the demands of its people. For their part, the GCC foreign ministers statement also said that "our security is a collective responsibility and there is no question of accepting foreign interference." The GCC groups Bahrain with Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

posted by: h0713 at 09:48 | link | comments |

Italy's Berlusconi indicted in prostitution probe

His penchant for beautiful young women has cost him his wife, and now may cost Silvio Berlusconi what he cherishes most: power. The 74-year-old Italian premier was ordered Tuesday to stand trial on charges he paid a 17-year-old Moroccan girl for sex, and then used his influence to cover it up — an offense that, if proven, could see him barred permanently from public office. Berlusconi has called the allegations "groundless" and dismissed the case as a "farce," accusing prosecutors of seeking to oust him from power. He did not comment Tuesday, skipping a news conference in Sicily and meeting with his lawyer in Rome. Unlike Berlusconi's many past legal problems involving business-related charges concerning his Mediaset empire, this time he faces allegations of personal misconduct while serving as the head of government. The trial is set to begin April 6 before a panel of three female judges. Prosecutors have already relayed more than 700-pages of wiretap conversations describing raucous behavior that would draw censure at most fraternity houses: sex-fueled parties attended by scantily clad women, sometimes dressed as nurses or police officers. The indictment alleges Berlusconi paid for sex with the Moroccan girl, nicknamed Ruby, then used his influence to get her out of police custody when she was detained in connection with an unrelated theft of $4,103 (euro3,000). Prosecutors say Berlusconi called police the night of May 27-28, 2010, because he feared his relationship with the teen would be revealed. christian louboutin 2010 So far Italians have been forgiving, with Berlusconi's popularity damaged by the scandal but not demolished. However, having such details aired in a courtroom and not just on newspaper pages could change the tide against Berlusconi, experts warn. "If you start to hear something (that) is really embarrassing and difficult to handle, I think that could hurt the image of Berlusconi and his position as prime minister," said Franco Pavoncello, a political analyst at John Cabot University in Rome. Judge Cristina Di Censo handed down the indictment Tuesday with a terse statement that showed she believes there is sufficient evidence to subject Berlusconi to an immediate trial, as prosecutors requested. The speeded-up procedure, which is ordered in cases of overwhelming evidence, skips a preliminary hearing that alone can take nearly a year. The child prostitution charge carries a possible prison term of six months to three years. However, the abuse of influence charge is even more dangerous: It carries a sentence of four to 12 years, and if Berlusconi is sentenced to more than five, he would be barred from ever again holding public office. Both Berlusconi and the now 18-year-old Moroccan nightclub dancer deny having had sex together. Ruby, in a TV interview on a Mediaset channel, said Berlusconi gave her $9,000 (euro7,000) the evening they met, and later jewelry. christian louboutin fakes The trial will follow the resumption of three other criminal cases involving Berlusconi's business dealings, creating both a legal morass for the premier, and a judicial juggling act as panels seek to schedule hearings amid Berlusconi's commitments as head of government. At the same time, a weakened Berlusconi will face the challenge of keeping unruly coalition partners happy, while attempting to repair the image of his country — badly damaged by his own scandal — on the international stage. The trial itself will take months, if not years, given the difficulty of scheduling court appearances. While defendants are not required to attend trials in Italy, Berlusconi's defense has often invoked his willingness to do so. Still, he has rarely showed up in court. Berlusconi's supporters had pushed for jurisdiction to be transferred to the Tribunal of Ministers, which deals with offenses committed by public officials in the execution of their duties. They argued that Berlusconi intervened with the Milan police because he believed Ruby was the niece of now ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and was trying to prevent a diplomatic incident. Pierluigi Bersani, the leader of the opposition Democratic Party, called for Berlusconi's resignation, demanding early elections. "We don't want Italy to be drifting," Bersani said. A decision to dissolve parliament and hold new elections rests with President Giorgio Napolitano. He expressed concerns over the bitter conflict between the premier and the judiciary when the two met over the weekend. christian louboutin crystal pump While Italian politics is very polarized, Italians on the whole so far have been tolerant of Berlusconi's antics and gaffes, from cavorting with attractive young women to commenting on Barack Obama's skin tone. Still, there are signs of discontent: More than a million women took to the streets over the weekend to protest what they called the denigrating treatment of women. Ruby's fame, in the meantime, has only grown: The buxom beauty is frequently photographed in low-cut, tight-fitting attire at night clubs and has appeared in a television commercial wearing only black lingerie. Over the years, Berlusconi has unashamedly flouted his attraction to beautiful young women — even insulting the looks of middle-aged opposition leader Rosy Bindi. When his estranged wife Veronica Lario announced she was divorcing Berlusconi in 2009, she cited his involvement with young women and promotion of starlets to lawmakers. She also issued a plea to his friends to help him, saying "My husband is sick." It remains to be seen how the trial will affect Berlusconi's role as Italy's chief statesman. A masterful politician and businessman, Berlusconi has proven himself a champion at repelling previous legal challenges, many of which have ended when the statute of limitations expired. He recently survived challenges in parliament, winning two back-to-back confidence votes in December, though just barely. christian louboutin madame butterfly Berlusconi's trial on tax fraud relating to the 1999 purchase of TV rights resumes later this month, followed by another accusing him of paying a witness to lie in court. Another tax fraud case, pertaining to events in 2007, will continue with a preliminary hearing next month. To survive to the end of his third stint in 2013, Berlusconi will now find himself more beholden than ever to the Northern League. The populist party and government ally recently threatened to bolt to press passage of new rules giving cities and towns more power of taxation, part of their push to chip away at central authority in favor of the regions. In an irony, Interior Minister Roberto Maroni, of the Northern League, is listed as one of the offended parties in the indictment, because police under his direct command were pressured to release Ruby.

posted by: h0713 at 01:57 | link | comments |

Mubarak's final hours: Desperate bids to stay

Hosni Mubarak was supposed to announce his resignation on Thursday. The Egyptian military expected it. The new head of his ruling party pleaded to him face-to-face to do it. But despite more than two weeks of massive demonstrations by protesters unmoved by lesser concessions, the president still didn't get it. Mubarak's top aides and family — including his son Gamal, widely viewed as his intended successor — told him he could still ride out the turmoil. So the televised resignation speech the rest of Egypt had expected became a stubborn — and ultimately humiliating — effort to cling to power. It only enraged protesters. On Friday, the military moved decisively. On Saturday, insiders in Egypt gave The Associated Press an initial picture of what happened in the hours before Egypt's "unoustable" leader of nearly 30 years fell. Some of them spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information. Their account portrayed Mubarak as unable, or unwilling, to grasp that nothing less than his immediate departure would save the country from the chaos generated by the protests that began Jan. 25. A senior government official said Mubarak lacked the political machinery that could give him sound advice about what was happening in the country. "He did not look beyond what Gamal was telling him, so he was isolated politically," said the official. "Every incremental move (by Mubarak) was too little too late." The military, meanwhile, was becoming increasingly impatient with the failure of Mubarak and Omar Suleiman, his newly appointed vice president, to end the protests. The unrest spiraled out of control Thursday and Friday, with demonstrations, strikes, sit-ins and even gunbattles engulfing almost the entire nation. Sex toys Insiders spoke of fighting among Cabinet ministers over how great a threat the demonstrators posed, and of deliberate attempts by close aides, including Gamal Mubarak, to conceal from the president the full extent of what was happening on the streets. The insiders who spoke to the AP include a senior Egyptian official, editors and journalists from state newspapers close to the regime who have spent years covering Mubarak's presidency, retired army generals in contact with top active duty officers, senior members of Mubarak's National Democratic Party and analysts familiar with the machinations of Mubarak's inner circle. Their account of the events of the past three weeks shows that the military became concerned soon after the protests began. They said it was the military that persuaded Mubarak to appoint Suleiman as vice president — the first since Mubarak took office in 1981 — and place him in charge of negotiations with opposition groups on a way out of the standoff. Suleiman failed on that score — on Tuesday he was reduced to threatening that a coup would replace the negotiations if no progress was made. Leaders of the protests vowed not to negotiate until Mubarak was gone, even after he said he would not seek another term in September and promised reforms to reduce poverty, end repressive emergency laws and make Egypt more democratic. By Thursday, nearly everyone had expected Mubarak to resign, including the military. Hossam Badrawi, a stalwart of Mubarak's National Democratic Party, met with Mubarak on Thursday and later told reporters that he expected Sex toys for men the Egyptian leader to "meet people's demands" — read that stepping down — later the same day. After Mubarak did not, Badrawi, who had been named the party's secretary general a few days earlier, resigned in protest, according to two party insiders. Meanwhile, the military's highest executive body — The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces — met without its chairman, commander- in-chief Mubarak, and issued a statement recognizing the "legitimate" rights of the protesters. They called the statement "Communique No. 1," language that in the Arab world suggests a a coup was taking place. Insiders said Mubarak's address Thursday night was meant to be his resignation announcement. Instead, he made one last desperate attempt to stay in office after being encouraged to do so by close aides and especially by his family, long the subject of rumors of corruption, abuse of power and extensive wealth. One insider said Gamal, his banker-turned-politician son, rewrote the speech several times before the recording. It was aired at 11 p.m., several hours after state TV said Mubarak was about to address the nation. It showed brief footage of him meeting with Suleiman and his Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq. The address was clearly prepared in a rush. It had rough cuts, and Mubarak was caught at least once acting like he was between takes, fixing his tie and looking away from the camera. Information Minister Anas al-Fiqqi was there at the studio alongside Gamal Mubarak, according to two of the insiders. State TV quoted him in the hours before the broadcast saying that Mubarak would not resign. On Saturday, al-Fiqqi announced his own resignation. Penis sleeves Mubarak said in the address that he was handing over most of his powers to Suleiman but again rejected calls for his resignation. He vowed to introduce genuine reforms, prosecute those behind the violence that left scores of protesters dead and offered his condolences to the victims' families. He said he was hurting over calls for his removal and, in his defense, recounted his record in public service. He was not going anywhere until his term ended in September, he said. He had hoped that putting Suleiman in charge would end the protests and allow him to remain in office as a symbolic figure, a scenario that would have seen him make a dignified exit. The address betrayed what many Egyptians suspected for years — Mubarak was out of touch with the people. Mubarak, said a senior Egyptian official, "tried to manage the crisis within the existing structures and norms. That was clearly too late. The incremental offers of reform also were clearly insufficient." The insiders differ on whether Mubarak's address that night was made with the consent of the military, whether it represented his last chance to take back control of the streets. Even if the military's patience wasn't exhausted by the speech, it ran out as the protests grew more intense. On Friday, the military allowed protesters to gather outside Mubarak's presidential palace in a Cairo suburb — but by that time Mubarak Penis pumps and his immediate family had already flown to another palace in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, 250 miles away. The soldiers also allowed protesters to besiege the TV and radio building in downtown Cairo. Two days earlier, the military stood by and watched as protesters laid siege to the prime minister's office and parliament. Shafiq, the prime minister, could not work in his office and had to work out of the Civil Aviation Ministry close to Cairo's airport. By early afternoon, millions were out on the streets in Cairo, the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria and a string of other major cities. The crowd outside his palace was rapidly growing. Only a few meters and four army tanks separated the protesters from the gate. Suleiman, Mubarak's longtime confidant and a former intelligence chief, announced that Mubarak was stepping down. In a two-sentence statement to state television that took 49 seconds, Egypt's history changed forever.

posted by: h0713 at 02:11 | link | comments |

Egypt protesters furious at Mubarak's speech

The mood in Tahrir Square was exultant. Finally, the protesters thought, their moment in history had come: President Hosni Mubarak was about to quit. Then euphoria turned to fury. As Mubarak began speaking on television Thursday night, his voice reverberating over audio speakers and mobile telephone radios, the words the huge crowd expected did not come. Unease turned to head-shaking disbelief and murmurs of disgust. Then anger surged, and tears of frustration fell. Mubarak was not stepping down. Even before he finished speaking, people were booing and chanting "Get out!" and "We're not happy!" while waving their shoes in the air, the soles facing toward a large open-air screen that showed the president speaking from notes behind a podium. Gesturing with shoes is a grave insult in the Arab world. But it was the crowd that felt insulted, cheated, their expectations shattered after a day of conflicting reports about what would come next in the Egyptian crisis. Sexy lingerie One of the rumors, fed partly by a military statement that protesters' demands would be met, was that Mubarak would resign. Instead, he handed his powers to his vice president and promised reforms, including repeal of the hated emergency laws. He said he was "adamant to continue to shoulder my responsibility to protect the constitution and safeguard the interests of the people" and vowed that he would remain in the country. The many Egyptians who oppose him, however, believe no genuine reform is possible as long as Mubarak stays in office. They said they would stage bigger protests, and some even called for the military to oust him. "The speech is provocative," said Muhammed Abdul Rahman, a lawyer. "This is going to bring people together more, and people will come out in greater numbers." Hazim Khalifa, a chemist, said: "He's tried to divide people before. Now the people understand him and they've learned his ways." Hisham Bastawisi, a reformist judge, said Mubarak "lives in a coma" and that "the armed forces must interfere and oust him before it is too late." Sexy bra and panties Tears welled up in the eyes of people who just half an hour earlier had been waving flags in elation and chanting "We're almost there!" as hundreds of thousands crammed into the square to await Mubarak's speech. In addition to the long sit-in at Cairo's central square, new demonstrations and strikes have erupted across the country as more and more Egyptians call for change. In the weeks of protest, the square has evolved into a multifaceted tent city complete with makeshift clinics, food stalls and numerous displays and dioramas celebrating the achievements of activists and the perfidy of the government. Almost immediately after the president's speech, many in the crowd began slowly filing out in sullen anger, while others marched to the offices of the state television station, which has broadcast pro-government messages. A massive demonstration had been planned for Friday, but earlier protesters had assumed it would be a victory celebration after the expected resignation of the president. Khaled Abdel Hamid, a protest organizer, said protesters planned to escalate their actions and march on the nearby Ministry of Information and state television headquarters Friday. sexy Hosiery "This is a poor speech from a poor leader," he said. "If he is stubborn, we are stubborn. We are ready to die here."

posted by: h0713 at 07:51 | link | comments |

Strikes in Egypt add to pressure from protests

Thousands of workers went on strike Wednesday across Egypt, adding a new dimension to the uprising as public rage turned to the vast wealth President Hosni Mubarak's family reportedly amassed while close to half the country struggled near the poverty line. Protests calling for Mubarak's ouster have been spreading since Tuesday outside of Cairo's Tahrir Square, where demonstrators have been concentrated for the past two weeks. On Wednesday, protesters also gathered at parliament, the Cabinet and the Health Ministry buildings, all a few blocks from the square, and blocked Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq from his office. Strikes erupted in a breadth of sectors — among railway and bus workers, state electricity staff and service technicians at the Suez Canal, in factories manufacturing textiles, steel and beverages and at least one hospital. In one of the flashpoints of unrest Wednesday, some 8,000 protesters, mainly farmers, set barricades of flaming palm trees in the southern province of Assiut. They blocked the main highway and railway to Cairo to complain of bread shortages. They then drove off the governor by pelting his van with stones. Hundreds of slum dwellers in the Suez Canal city of Port Said set fire to part of the governor's headquarters in anger over lack of housing. Workers "were motivated to strike when they heard about how many billions the Mubarak family was worth," said Kamal Abbas, a labor leader. "They said: 'How much longer should we be silent?'" Egyptians have been infuriated by newspaper reports that the Mubarak family has amassed billions, and perhaps tens of billions of dollars in wealth while, according to the World Bank, about 40 percent of the country's 80 million people live below or near the poverty line of Sexy lingerie $2 a day. The family's true net worth is not known. "O Mubarak, tell us where you get 70 billion dollars," dozens of protesters chanted in front of the Health Ministry. For the first time, protesters were forcefully urging labor strikes despite a warning by Vice President Omar Suleiman that calls for civil disobedience are "very dangerous for society and we can't put up with this at all." His warnings of a possible "coup" Tuesday were taken by protesters as a veiled threat to impose martial law — which would be a dramatic escalation in the standoff. But instead of backing off, they promised more huge protests on Friday. "He is threatening to impose martial law, which means everybody in the square will be smashed," said Abdul-Rahman Samir, a spokesman for a coalition of the five main youth groups behind protests in Tahrir Square. "But what would he do with the rest of the 70 million Egyptians who will follow us afterward." Suleiman is creating "a disastrous scenario," Samir said. "We are striking and we will protest and we will not negotiate until Mubarak steps down. Whoever wants to threaten us, then let them do so," he added. The protesters filling streets of Cairo and other cities since Jan. 25 have already posed the greatest challenge to the president's authoritarian rule since he came to power 30 years ago. They have wrought promises of sweeping concessions and reforms, a new Cabinet and a purge of the ruling party leadership, but Mubarak refuses their demands that he step down before September Sex toys for women elections. U.S.-based Human Rights Watch has said about 300 people have been killed since the protests began, but it is still compiling a final toll. The strikes broke out across Egypt as many companies reopened for the first time since night curfews were imposed almost two weeks ago. Not all the strikers were responding directly to the protesters' calls, but the movement's success and its denunciations of the increasing poverty under Mubarak's rule resonated and reignited labor discontent that has broken out frequently in recent years. The farmers in Assiut voiced their support for the Tahrir movement, witnesses said, as did the Port Said protesters, who set up a tent camp in the city's main Martyrs Square similar to the Cairo camp. In Cairo, hundreds of state electricity workers stood in front of the South Cairo Electricity company, demanding the ouster of its director. Public transport workers at five of the city's roughly 17 garages also called strikes, demanding Mubarak's overthrow, and vowed that buses would be halted Thursday. It was not clear if they represented the entire bus system for this city of 18 million. Dozens of state museum workers demanding higher wages staged a protest in front of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, crowding around antiquities chief Zahi Hawass when he came to talk to them. Several hundred workers also demonstrated at a silk factory and a fuel coke plant in Cairo's industrial suburb of Helwan, demanding better pay and work conditions. Clitoral pumps and teasers In the desert oasis town of Kharga, southwest of Cairo, five protesters have been killed in two days of rioting, security officials said. Police opened fire Tuesday on hundreds who set a courthouse on fire and attacked a police station, demanding the removal of the provincial security chief. The army was forced to secure several government buildings and prisons, and on Wednesday the security chief was dismissed, security officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. In the city of Suez, strikes entered a second day on Wednesday. Some 5,000 workers at various state companies — including textile workers, medicine bottle manufacturers, sanitation workers and a firm involved in repairs for ships on the Suez Canal — held separate strikes and protests at their factories. Traffic at the Suez Canal, a vital international waterway and a top revenue earner for Egypt, was not affected. "We're not getting our rights," said Ahmed Tantawi, a Public Works employee in Suez. He said workers provide 24-hour service and are exposed to health risks but get only an extra $1.50 a month in hardship compensation. He said there are employees who have worked their entire lives in the department and will retire with a salary equivalent to $200 a month. In Tahrir Square about 10,000 massed again on Wednesday, the day after a crowd of about a quarter-million proved that they had not lost momentum even as Mubarak clings to power. Visitors snapped pictures and took videos while vendors sold nuts, popcorn, Egyptian flags, sandwiches and drinks. Exercisers for vaginal muscle Nearby, 2,000 more protesters blocked off parliament, several blocks away, chanting slogans for it to be dissolved. A huge caricature of Mubarak hung on the gates of parliament and army troops were on the grounds. Organizers called for a new "protest of millions" for Friday similar to those that have drawn the largest crowds so far. But in a change of tactic, they want several protests across Cairo instead of only in Tahrir Square downtown, said Khaled Abdel-Hamid, one of the youth organizers. The Obama administration is trying to keep pressure on Egypt's leaders. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Egypt's government had not even met a minimum threshold of reforms demanded by its people and warned that massive protests will continue until changes are made. Fresh support for the protesters is coming from an unlikely corner — Egypt's state-owned Al-Ahram newspaper. The mouthpiece of successive regimes since the 1950s, the paper has sharply changed the tone of its unrest coverage and is using the word "revolution" to describe the anti-Mubarak demonstrations. The newspaper, Egypt's oldest, previously echoed official statements that called the protesters "outlaws" or "saboteurs" and a "bunch of conspirators." Efforts by Vice President Suleiman to open a dialogue with protesters over reforms have broken down since the weekend, with youth organizers of the movement deeply suspicious that he plans only superficial changes far short of real democracy. They refuse any talks unless Mubarak steps down first. Showing growing impatience with the rejection, Suleiman issued a sharp warning that raised the prospect of a renewed crackdown. He told Egyptian newspaper editors late Tuesday that there could be a "coup" unless demonstrators agree to enter negotiations. Realistic vaginas Protesters considered the reference to a coup to be a veiled reference to a possible new crackdown. Suleiman, a military man who was intelligence chief before being elevated to vice president amid the crisis, tried to explain the coup remark by saying: "I mean a coup of the regime against itself, or a military coup or an absence of the system. Some force, whether its the army or police or the intelligence agency or the (opposition Muslim) Brotherhood or the youth themselves could carry out 'creative chaos' to end the regime and take power," he said. "We can't bear this for a long time," Suleiman said of the protests. "There must be an end to this crisis as soon as possible." He said the regime wants to resolve the crisis through dialogue, warning: "We don't want to deal with Egyptian society with police tools." Officials have made a series of pledges not to attack, harass or arrest the activists, but Suleiman's comments suggested that won't last forever. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said in an interview with "PBS NewsHour" that there would be chaos if Mubarak stepped down immediately. He warned that if the opposition tried to compose an unconstitutional government, "then maybe the armed forces would feel compelled to intervene in a more drastic manner. Do we want the armed forces to assume the responsibility of stabilizing the nation thru imposing martial law, and army in the streets?" Suleiman, a close confident of the president, rejected any "end to the regime" including an immediate departure for Mubarak, who says he will serve out the rest of his term until September elections. Suleiman suggested Egypt was not ready for democracy, and said a government-formed panel of judges, dominated by Mubarak loyalists, would push ahead with recommending its own constitutional amendments to be put to a referendum. Those statements further deepened protesters' skepticism over his intentions. Masturbation sleeves Still, authorities continued to try to project an image of normalcy. Egypt's most famous tourist attraction, the Pyramids of Giza, reopened to tourists on Wednesday after a 12-day closure. But few came to visit — tens of thousands of foreigners have fled Egypt amid the chaos, taking with them an important facet of the nation's economy. Meanwhile, the newly appointed culture minister, Gabr Asfour, resigned his post for health reasons, according to government spokesman Magdy Rady.

posted by: h0713 at 08:55 | link | comments |

Template by motime.com