World News Post: Feb 21, 2011

Monday, February 21, 2011

MOROCCO - change yes, but with the King

Those who predicted a ban on marches planned in several cities of Morocco, including Casablanca, Rabat and Tangier, are mistaken. Thousands of Moroccans responded to the call of youth''February 20''and marched in the cities of Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Marrakech, Nador Nador, Agadir, Tetouan, Al Hoceima to demand political reforms in depth including a limitation on the powers of the king.

According to the count of news agencies, they were between 3000 and 4000 people have gathered in Rabat before marching through the main street near the Parliament. The demonstrators chanted in particular "the people want change" and denounced "corruption". In Casablanca, they were about 4000 people, including university students, chanting "freedom, dignity, justice." Left-wing groups asking for their "less power for the monarchy", while some banners proclaiming: "The king should reign and not rule" or "the people want a new constitution." Two young protesters told a reporter that''we have nothing against the king, but we want more justice and labor.

The "Sunday blood 'keeps Iran tension

Iran is preparing today for a new round of opposition protests. The Interior Ministry said that stifle progress, which aims to commemorate the seven days after the death of two youths who died in the protests on Monday 14 February. Although the Government claims that two young men belonged to the Basij, paramilitary forces of the Government, the opposition claims that these youths had taken to the streets to protest against the government.

At least 10 killed in an attack on a recruiting center in Somalia

At least 10 people were killed when a car bomb exploded in a camp by government forces in Somalia's capital Mogadishu, as reported by a government official. "We saw a speeding car that rushed toward us, and exploded soon after. The place was covered with flames and smoke," said Hassan Ali, a police officer.

According to several witnesses, before the blast was heard several shots. The attack came two days after heavy fighting in the capital between the African Union force in Somalia (AMISOM) and the Islamist Shebab brackets existed that killed at least 20 deaths.

Somalia (geolocation) Somalia (wikipedia)

SENEGAL - A man sacrifices himself to challenge authorities

A disabled military set himself on fire February 18, 2011 outside the gates of the presidential palace in Dakar, the Senegalese newspaper Wal relates Fadjri. After being hospitalized in serious condition, the former soldier succumbed to his injuries. It would thus alert authorities to the plight of former soldiers, particularly on the small pension they receive.

The military invalids and disabled war veterans who are at least the number of 6000 in Senegal require a considerable increase in their wages which revolve around 30 to 40 000 CFA francs [45 to 60 euros].

The left and Moroccan Islamists seek to incorporate the popular classes 'Facebook protest'

The Movement for Liberty and Democracy, which convenes today's protests in Morocco, is a creation of young Moroccans in the Facebook generation, prepared but frustrated, as the protagonists of the video circulating on YouTube under the title Mouvement du 20 fevrier 2011: Qui sommesnous? But to achieve real demonstrations shook the autocratic power in the palace of Mohamed VI will need to have the presence of the inhabitants of slums, the slum-barrios bidonvilles "vertical slums and housing estates in outskirts of Casablanca.

Death penalty for the only terrorist who survived the bombing of Bombay

Justice in India has sentenced to death the only surviving terrorist attacks in Bombay in 2008 which killed 166 people. According to Indian media, the two judges of the Bombay High Court dismissed an appeal by Pakistani Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab about his involvement in the bloody attacks. This man, aged 23, was sentenced to death in May 2010 by a special court in India.

Capital punishment has been imposed to be charged with four counts of murder, acts of war against India, conspiracy and terrorism. Kasab was the only survivor of the terrorist group accused of the attacks. The other nine members were killed in clashes with security forces. Between 26 and 29 November 2008, 10 men attempted in a luxury hotel in Mumbai, a restaurant, a train station and a Jewish center, killing 166 people.

Mumbai (geolocation) Mumbai (wikipedia)

JAPAN - Beijing opts for panda

"For the first time in history, China has allowed foreigners to choose the pandas that their rents," welcomes the daily Tokyo Shimbun. At their last visit to Sichuan, Japanese officials Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, famous for managing to give birth to several panda by in vitro fertilization, have been designated in the giant panda that will last for 10 years.

Although the practice of 'panda diplomacy' is more to the agenda, the spokesman of Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ma, pandas designated as "messengers of the Japan-China Friendship "and expressed" the will of the Chinese government to improve the feelings of the Japanese toward China.

Protests against Government: Five dead in riots in Morocco

Domino Effect: protesters on Sunday in Casablanca after peaceful demonstrations for democratic reforms in Morocco has turned the protest into violence. In seven cities, it came in on Monday night to violent riots. In Marrakech, Tangier, Larache Al Hoceima and young people set fire to cars, looted shops and attacked the party offices.

The police used tear gas against the rioters. Several perpetrators have been arrested, it said. In the riots following protests five people were killed. This was announced by the Minister of Interior of the North African country, Taieb Cherqaoui, announced on Monday in Rabat. The victims had been staying in northern Morocco city of Al Hoceima in a bank branch, which was set on fire by rioters.

How young people planned their strategy to mislead the security forces to overthrow the regime and Hosni Mubarak

"It was spontaneous, of course not. We planned everything in detail," said Sally Moore, a psychiatrist of 31 years and a member of the revolutionary committee, young people who designed and guided the Egyptian revolt still unable to imagine how far they reach. A sense of strategy almost spy movie and iron discipline have been key to its success.

We have not known their names so far, as they used the anonymity of the Internet to escape the persecution of the regime, although it is a mean to escape and many have suffered arrests and torture. Doctors, pharmacists, engineers and lawyers, studied at the best universities in the country and have about thirty years, the same as Hosni Mubarak had clung to power.

The protests were raging in Tripoli after five days of brutal repression

The outcry against the regime of Muammar Gaddafi is not silenced, despite the severe repression that is leaving a trail of blood in the country. The latest report provided by the advocacy organization Human Rights Human Rights Watch raises to 233 the number of people have been killed since the protests began last Tuesday.

Of these, 60 have died today in Benghazi, a city that is becoming a real battlefield. Hospital sources quoted by Al Jazeera Sunday warned that the figure would exceed 200 people. Other evidence suggests that along with the dead are about 900 wounded, and only on the morning of Sunday at least 100 bodies have been recovered from the Jala hospital for burial.

WikiLeaks (homepage) WikiLeaks (twitter) WikiLeaks (wikipedia) President Lula Shows Support for Wikileaks (English/Español/Italiano Subtitles) (youtube) Ron Paul : Lying is Not Patriotic (youtube) El Espectador (homepage) El Espectador (wikipedia)

Protest in Baghdad and in Iraqi Kurdistan

Baghdad. (Reuters) .- Hundreds of people demonstrated in Sulaymaniyah, the capital of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, calling for political reforms in a system controlled by two dominant parties. Meanwhile, in Baghdad, about 1,000 people have requested improvements for orphans and widows. In Sulaimaniyah, the protest has been fueled by the death of two protesters who were killed on Thursday by armed militia of the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).

BAHRAIN - International support for the dialogue initiative launched by King

The only newspaper close to the opposition supports the national dialogue opened by the King on February 19. It lists the voice, abroad, encourage the regime in this way: the Secretary General of the UN, the British prime minister, the Saudi defense minister, the leaders of Kuwait and UAE ... U.S. Admiral Michael Mullen arrived in Riyadh to discuss the situation in Bahrain, before a tour to the Gulf to reaffirm the U.S.

Afghanistan: More than 25 dead in suicide attack

A suicide bomber has blown to the northern Afghan province of Kunduz in the operations area of the army in an attack in a government building at least 26 people to death. 37 more were injured when the offender on Monday in the administrative center of the Imam Sahib district blew up in the air, said the district governor of the news agency dpa.

He himself had been the target of the attack. At the time of the attack were in the building reportedly detained several people, killed himself to pick up their passes. First, no one claimed responsibility for the act. First on Saturday was a suicide mission by the Taliban in the city of Jalalabad in the east of the country attacked a bank and killed at least 38 people, including more than 20 members of the Afghan security forces.

Released political prisoner in Cuba Iván Hernández Carrillo

Havana (Cuba). - The Cuban opposition Iván Hernández Carrillo, one of the prisoners of conscience from the Group of 75, was released today with a medical parole and is now at home in the western province of Matanzas, as he confirmed to Efe. Hernández Carrillo, 39, said his release went "without incident" and now plans to return to work as a freelance journalist and fight "for freedom" in Cuba.

Debacle of Merkel's CDU in Hamburg after ten years in power

The Merkel's Christian Democratic Union, CDU, Hamburg has ruled in the past 10 years. Until now. The provisional final count of the parliamentary elections in the city-state landslide victory confirms the Social Democratic (SPD) and the heavy loss of votes of the hitherto ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU).

100% of counted votes, the Statistical Office of Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein reported that the SPD reached 48.3% of votes, 14.2 percent more than in the elections held three years ago. For its part, the CDU who heads the Federal Chancellor, Angela Merkel, won 21.9% of votes, more than 20% less than in previous elections and the worst performance in Hamburg since the Second World War.

KUWAIT - Stateless give voice to get their citizenship

For the third straight day, stateless demonstrated on February 20 near the slum Souleybia, south-west of Kuwait City, calling for their naturalization. There are about 100 000 to share the marginal status in the oil monarchies, they are "forgotten" records Vital established at independence in 1961, or children of Kuwaiti women married to foreigners (the Kuwaiti nationality is transmitted only through the father).

Cuba announces the release of seven prisoners to be transferred to Spain

La Habana. .- The Cuban Catholic Church today announced the release of seven other prisoners, including Ivan Hernandez, one of the 75 dissidents arrested and sentenced to prison terms in high-called "Black Spring" of March 2003 on charges of being " mercenaries "working for the United States. Hernandez refuses to leave the island once he is released, while the other six prisoners, outside the opposition movement, fled to Spain after his release.

The EU calls on Libya for an immediate end violence

The European Union (EU) has urged Libyan authorities to immediately stop using violence against citizens who are manifested in the country and listen to the "legitimate demands" of the people for reforms. At a working dinner extraordinary foreign ministers of the Twenty-seven have agreed a statement which "condemns the repression against peaceful demonstrators" and expressed "extreme concern" about the situation in the country and the number of deaths shuffling.

CHINA - "jasmine revolution" is emulated

"Crowds gathered on February 20 centers in Beijing and Shanghai after a call to an Internet 'revolution jasmine' in 13 cities, echoing the pro-democracy demonstrations that take place in the Middle East," recounts the Hong Kong daily, less jargon that the official press. While "tens of thousands of policemen" had been mobilized to quell the protests, several hundred people have demonstrated in Beijing, the newspaper provides.

Iran releases two German reporters were arrested in October

Tehran. .- After months of intensive diplomatic, Germany secured the release of two journalists held in Iran last October while trying to interview the child Shakin Ashtiani Mohammadi, the Iranian woman accused of adultery, which is in danger of being stoned. Diplomatic sources confirmed that an embassy official Germanic moved today to the city of Tabriz in the northwest, to accompany reporters, Marcus Hellwig, Jens Koch, to Tehran, where they are expected tonight.

Tunisia calls on Saudi Arabia to extradite the deposed Ben Ali

Tunisia called on the regime of Saudi Arabia to extradite the deposed president, Ben Ali, accused of being involved in "many crimes", as announced by the country's foreign minister was quoted by official news agency TAP. According to a ministry statement, "the Tunisian authorities have submitted a request through diplomatic channels" to extradite the former dictator of 74 years, who is in Saudi Arabia from January 14 after being expelled by a revolt unprecedented popular in Tunisia.

LIBYA - demonstrations quelled

"Gaddafi faltering civil war in Libya," the Milan daily basis. For five days of protests broke out in Libya, Muammar Gaddafi has not made any official statement. February 20, one of his son, Saif al-Islam, spoke on television to raise the specter of civil war. He suggested a figure of 84 deaths while, according to Human Rights Watch, at least 233 people have died since the start of the crackdown.

Libya: shocking news

On Saturday evening was also the state-controlled media in Libya is no longer ignore the unrest. Until then, the spectators got the Libyan state television to see only crowds, the revolutionary leader Gaddafi cheered - but no protesters, who demand his resignation. Then claimed the state news agency Jana that the security forces would have several foreign "conspirators" were arrested, on television, there was this picture of a burning police station.

The sister of the King of Jordan states that the lack of food causes riots

Rome, February 19 .- The Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein of Jordan, daughter of the late King Hussein of Jordan and sister of current King of Jordan Abdullah II, said today that high food prices "has been one of the forces that have led Arab youth take to the streets, from the Maghreb to the Gulf of Arabia, to ask for a change.

" The princess made the statements during his speech at the opening session of the Governing Council of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), which takes place tomorrow in Rome and which was also attended by former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan. "We can discuss how much of the unrest can be attributed to political motives and how much to economic reasons, but the food is the most basic human need.

U.S. sends the chief of staff to the Middle East

The head of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, has launched a Middle East tour to highlight the U.S. government's commitment to stability in the region, as reported by the Department of Defense. Mullen will visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Djibouti and Kuwait, where he will meet with senior officials to discuss the uprisings in Egypt, Tunisia and other countries in the region.

USA - Wisconsin officials are demonstrating to defend their rights

On 20 February, 70,000 people have once again demonstrated in Madison, Wisconsin's capital, to protest a bill of the new Republican Governor Scott Walker. The text under the guise of fiscal restraint, plans to restrict union rights for civil servants, especially in collective bargaining. The elected Democrats have left Wisconsin for the week: in their absence, the Republicans do not have enough votes to legislate on the budget, relates local daily.

Wisconsin (geolocation) Wisconsin (wikipedia)

Hundreds of people demonstrate in Oman called for political reform

Muscat. (Reuters) .- Some 300 people have gathered peacefully on the Omani capital, Muscat, to demand political reform and better working conditions. The merger took place in the district of Ruwi and she could hear slogans like "We want democracy" or "more pay and jobs." The demonstration lasted about an hour and a half and ended without any incidents or reports of people arrested.

"Prices of food and other commodities have until doubled in the last three years," Reuters reported Hashil student Mohamed, who has lamented that the salary increases during this period "is not enough." The Sultanate has increased the salary of domestic workers in the private sector from 140 to 200 riyals (about 380 euros) per month, according to data released this week by the Oman News Agency.

The Egyptian Museum reopens to revive tourism

The Egyptian Museum in Cairo, which holds within its walls the largest collection of Pharaonic art world, has reopened three weeks after suffering the wrath of looters. The assault occurred on January 28 when several thieves accessed the site and damaged about 70 archaeological items. Pharaonic treasure, consisting of more than 120000 remains, is displayed in a pink building near Tahrir Square, the epicenter of the 18 days of protests that toppled Hosni Mubarak.

INDIA - Death penalty upheld for the survivor of the commando Bombay

The news made the headlines of most news sites in India. The appellate court in Mumbai on February 21 confirmed the death sentence against Muhammad Ajmal Amir Kasab. This 24 year old Pakistanis is the only survivor of the commando of ten men who had perpetrated the attacks in Bombay in October 2008, killing 166 people.

Indicted for murder, terrorism, conspiracy and acts of war against India, he was sentenced in May 2010 by a special court to capital punishment.

Mumbai (geolocation) Mumbai (wikipedia)

Increase to 18 the death toll from the suicide attack and the assault on Kabul Bank

Kabul, February 19 .- Eighteen people, including civilians and security forces, were killed and 70 wounded in a double suicide bombing assault and registered at a bank in the city of Jalalabad, in eastern Afghanistan, said a official source. Seven attackers broke into the offices of the Kabul Bank branch in the plaza Mokhaborat of Jalalabad, where two blew themselves up after holding a firefight for several hours against the security forces, according to various sources.

At least 10 children die in a fire at an orphanage in Estonia

At least 10 children have died in a fire during an orphanage in the town of Haapsalu Estonia. Local media, citing as its source Rescue Operations Center, Central District of Estonia, the wooden building is partially destroyed and the roof has collapsed. At the time of the fire in the building had 37 children and nine adults.

According to the website of the orphanage in total living there 43 children, 23 boys and 20 girls, of whom 29 were orphaned or abandoned by their parents. All have serious physical and move 24 of them in wheelchairs. Although the rules of the institution must establish that his disciples abandon him after they turn 18 and finish school, temporarily living at the orphanage three youths and a girl, also disabled, aged over this limit.

Gaddafi shoot at protesters: reports of hundreds dead in Libya

According to eyewitnesses, it was shot with machine guns on government opponents during a funeral march in the city of Benghazi. A doctor said his hospital - one of two in the second-largest city in the country - had run out of supplies.

After reports of the opposition within two days, at least 200 people were killed, but the protests are spreading. Before the Supreme Court in the Libyan capital, Tripoli demonstrated by eyewitness accounts on Sunday lawyers, judges and prosecutors against the use of force against demonstrators.

Afghanistan: double murder of civilians

Two murders in two days in Afghanistan, with a total budget that could exceed hundreds of deaths. A U.S. raid in the mountains of northeastern Afghanistan has killed 65 civilians, including 22 women and over 30 children. He denounced the governor of Kunar province, Fazlullah Wahidi, in an interview with the Washington Post, Sunday after the President Hamid Karzai had spoken of 50 victims.

MOROCCO - The official press blind to the protests against power

"It's nothing to understand. Those who had to go wire some foreign news agencies [February 20] had to derive a huge question: what we talk about Morocco?" writes the daily Casablanca, subservient to power. At most, he concedes What happened "events in economic connotation" when, according to foreign media, thousands of people marched in cities across the country to demand that the king transferred his powers to a government elected.

Seriously injured an opposition MP during a police charge in Algiers

Second Saturday in protest in Algiers and second win of the police on opposition much less in number and wills. Thousands of riot police have been monitored at all times hundreds of protesters, from ten in the morning until four in the afternoon, have occupied the streets near the Plaza on May 1. Police have used smoke canisters or projectile fragmentation.

Neither has had to use water cannons. Their numerical superiority was such that you have enough batons and shields. A deputy of the Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD) has been seriously injured. It was the only victim of the march. The regime of President Bouteflika had cut off access to the center of Algiers.

Bahraini opposition calls for political reforms before talks

Bahrain strike has had an uneven track after the unions decided to call off the opposition and affect their participation in a national dialogue with the Government to take steps leading towards political reform. The strike was called on Saturday by the General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions to support the political protests that erupted on 14 February and has already caused half a dozen dead.

UGANDA - President Museveni leaves for a fourth term

Unsurprisingly, Yoweri Museveni won the presidential election held on February 18 in Uganda. The outgoing head of state, in power since 1986, was credited with 68.38% of votes. Even before the formalization of the results, Kizza Besigye, the main opposition candidate, has stepped into the breach to denounce fraud and irregularities.

Without commenting on the reliability of the poll, the daily mentions of Kampala, in an editorial, a deteriorating political climate in Uganda, may fuel suspicion.

Yoweri Museveni (answerscom) Yoweri Museveni (wikipedia)

Berlusconi asked for his phone to Naomi Campbell

London. .- The Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi asked for the phone to British model Naomi Campbell at a dinner for world leaders and diverse personalities that took place in London for a summit. This was revealed by Sarah Brown, wife of former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, that the March 3 release "Behind The Black Door" (After the black door), a memoir of three years they lived at number 10 Downing Street .

Museveni swept the elections in Uganda and will turn 30 years in power

Uganda will have five years of the reign of Yoweri Museveni, the president who spent 25 years in power and who has just won the presidential elections in the country, according to results from the Electoral Commission. The opposition, led by Kizza Besigye, rejected "categorically" the result is a scenario that opens the door to uncertainty because of the promise of Museveni's opponents to take their supporters to the streets to protest fraud.

GERMANY - The SPD victory in Hamburg

The newspaper of Hamburg, inspired by tabloid, devoted its front page to the "King Olaf". February 20, the Social Democrats SPD, led by former Labour Minister Olaf Scholz, won a landslide victory in regional elections in the city-state of Hamburg. With 48.3% of the votes, they get an absolute majority and win back one of their former strongholds, lost ten years ago.

They inflict a crushing blow to ensure the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Social Democratic Party of Germany (homepage) Social Democratic Party of Germany (wikipedia) Hamburg (geolocation) Hamburg (homepage) Hamburg (wikipedia)

Germany wants to do justice to the murdered family of Einstein

Berlin. .- The Office of Criminal Investigation (LKA) of the German state of Baden-Württemberg has opened an investigation to identify the murderers of the family of the Nobel Prize in Physics Albert Einstein, 66 years after the crime. Nine months before the end of World War II when German troops retreating from Italy, a destroyer command of the Wehrmacht, the German army raided the home of Robert Einstein, cousin of the scientist, and murdered his wife and two daughters.

Netanyahu is gravely passing Iranian warships Suez Canal

Today more than ever, Iran is the biggest issue of concern to the Israeli Government. The latest and turbulent developments in the Middle East have strengthened the fear in Israel to what all local experts considered a "growing and highly motivated Iran" by the departure of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Following the passage of two Iranian warships through the Suez Canal route to Syria, according to Iranian state television was a reality but officials have denied Channel reported Sunday night that 48-hour cross-the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that "Israel sees Iran gravity this step." "This, like other events, reinforcing what I say and repeat, that Israel's security needs have increased," he assured.

Estonia, 10 children died in a fire

At least 10 children have died in the fire of an orphanage in the town of Haapsalu, on the west coast of Estonia. The local media reported. "From the time firefighters arrived on the spot, three or four minutes the building was completely in flames." This declaration of Viktor Saaremets, spokesman for the rescue service of western Estonia, on the fire broke out today in the orphanage for disabled children in Haapsalu.

Agreement on measurement of disparities: the G-20 countries to find a minimal solution

They have agreed: France's Finance Minister Christine Lagarde and Wolfgang Schäuble, the G-20 countries have for the first time agreed on indicators to measure economic imbalances. The finance ministers of the 20 major industrial and emerging States selected five indicators, with the dangerous imbalances to be detected "early and accurate".

The indicators are the exchange rates, public and private debt, currency reserves and the most controversial point of the current account. Especially against the last indicator that China had long resisted. Finally, a compromise was reached. Accordingly, the current account is measured, however, the interest income received by the States of their currency reserves, not counting, it was said of the circles.