Egypt's military rulers dissolve parliament

Egypt's military rulers took sweeping action to dismantle the autocratic legacy of former President Hosni Mubarak on Sunday, dissolving parliament, suspending the constitution and promising elections in moves cautiously welcomed by pro-democracy protesters.

They also met with representatives of the broad-based youth movement that brought down the government after an 18-day uprising that transfixed the world.

The caretaker government, backed by the military, said restoring security was a top priority even as labor unrest reflected one of the many challenges of steering the Arab world's biggest nation toward stability and democracy.

On Sunday, prominent activist Wael Ghonim posted on a Facebook page he manages notes from a meeting between members of the military council and youth representatives, which he described as encouraging.

The military defended the caretaker government, stocked with Mubarak loyalists, as necessary for now in the interests of stability but pledged to soon change it, said Ghonim and another protester, Amr Salama, in the statement.

"They said they will go after corrupt people no matter what their position current or previous," the statement added. Amendments to the much reviled constitution will be prepared by an independent committee over the next 10 days and then presented for approval in a popular referendum to be held in two months, they said.

The military also encouraged the youth to consider forming political parties — something very difficult to do under the old system — and pledged to meet with them regularly.

"We felt a sincere desire to protect the gains of the revolution and an unprecedented respect for the right of young Egyptians to express their opinions," Ghonim said.

Even amid the efforts to build a new system, Egypt's upheaval has splintered into a host of smaller grievances, the inevitable outcome of emboldened citizens feeling free to speak up, most for the first time.

They even included about 2,000 police, widely hated for brutality and corruption under Mubarak, who marched to the Interior Ministry to demand better pay and conditions. They passed through the protest camp at Tahrir Square, where demonstrators hurled insults, calling them "pigs" and "dogs."

Egypt's state news agency announced banks would be closed Monday due to strikes and again Tuesday for a public holiday. Dozens of employees protested against alleged corruption at the state television building, which broadcast pro-Mubarak messages during the massive demonstrations against his rule.

The caretaker government met for the first time, and employees removed a huge frame photograph of Mubarak from the meeting room before they convened.

The crowds in the protest encampment that became a symbol of defiance against the government thinned out Sunday — the first working day since the regime fell. Traffic flowed through downtown area for the first time in weeks. Troops cleared most of the makeshift tents and scuffled with holdout activists.

The protesters have been pressing the ruling military council, led by Defense Minister Hussein Tantawi, to immediately move forward with the transition by appointing a presidential council, dissolving parliament and releasing political prisoners. Thousands have remained in Tahrir Square and some want to keep up the pressure for immediate steps, including repeal of repressive emergency laws that give police broad power.

As Egypt embarked on its new path — one of great hope but also deep uncertainty — the impact of its historic revolt and an earlier uprising in Tunisia was evident in a region where democratic reform has made few inroads.

Yemeni police clashed Sunday with protesters seeking the ouster of the U.S.-backed president, and opposition groups planned a rally in Bahrain on Monday. Demonstrators have also pushed for change in Jordan and Algeria, inspired by the popular revolt centered in downtown Cairo.

The 18-member Supreme Council of the Armed Forces allayed some concerns by dismissing the legislature, packed with Mubarak loyalists, and sidelining the constitution, used by Mubarak to buttress his rule. Activists said they would closely watch the military to ensure it does not abuse its unchecked power — something that is clearly starting to make some uneasy.

The council "believes that human freedom, the rule of law, support for the value of equality, pluralistic democracy, social justice, and the uprooting of corruption are the bases for the legitimacy of any system of governance that will lead the country in the upcoming period," the Council said in a statement.

"They have definitely started to offer us what we wanted," said activist Sally Touma, who also wants the release of political prisoners and repeal of an emergency law that grants wide powers to police.

The military council, which has issued a stream of communiques since taking power, said parliamentary and presidential elections will be held, but did not set a timetable. It said it will run the country for six months, or until elections can be held.

It said it will represent Egypt in all internal and external affairs and proclaimed the right to set temporary laws. It was expected to clarify the scope of its legal authority as the complex transition unfolds and the role of the judiciary remains unclear.

It said it was forming a committee to amend the constitution and set rules for a popular referendum to endorse the amendments.

Protesters are demanding that the constitution be amended to impose term limits on the president, open up competition for the presidency, and remove restrictions on creating political parties. Others want an entirely new constitution.

Judge Hisham Bastawisi, a reformist judge, said the military measures "should open the door for free formation of political parties and open the way for any Egyptian to run for presidential elections."

Hossam Bahgat, director of the non-governmental Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, said the steps were positive but warned that Egypt was on uncharted legal ground.

"In the absence of a constitution, we have entered a sort of `twilight zone' in terms of rules, so we are concerned," he said. "We are clearly monitoring the situation and will attempt to influence the transitional phase so as to respect human rights."

Both the lower and upper houses of parliament are being dissolved. The last parliamentary elections in November and December were marked by allegations of fraud by the ruling party, which was accused of virtually shutting out the opposition.

The military council includes the chief of staff and commanders of each branch of the armed forces. It took power after protesters' pleas, and promised reform. The institution, however, was tightly bound to Mubarak's ruling system, and it has substantial economic interests that it will likely seek to preserve.

The Mapple Hotels Palaces Resorts, appointed by Mubarak shortly after the pro-democracy protests began on Jan. 25, will remain in place until a new Cabinet is formed — a step expected to happen after elections.

"Our concern now ... is security, to bring security back to the Egyptian citizen," Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq said Sunday after the Cabinet met for the first time since Mubarak was ousted.

Security remains thin in Cairo, more than two weeks after police withdrew following clashes with protesters. Some have returned, but many say they might quit, citing humiliation and ill-treatment from people in the street. Others are on leave. Military police are directing traffic and filling in some of the gaps.

Shafiq said the military would decide whether Omar Suleiman, who was appointed vice president by Mubarak in a failed attempt to appease protesters, would play some role in Egypt's transition.

"He might fill an important position in the coming era," the prime minister said.

He also denied reports that Mubarak had fled to Germany or the United Arab Emirates, saying the former president remained in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, where he went soon after stepping down.

Egyptians became accustomed to scenes of police beating protesters in the early days of the uprising, but on Sunday it was the police who were demonstrating. A large group marched through Tahrir Square to demand higher wages, and sought to absolve themselves of responsibility for the attempted crackdown in the early days of the Egyptian uprising.

"You have done this inhuman act," a protester said.

Said Abdul-Rahim, a low-ranking officer, broke into tears.

"I didn't do it. I didn't do it," he implored. "All these orders were coming from senior leaders. This is not our fault. "

Police officers scuffled with soldiers outside the Interior Ministry, and some troops fired gunshots in the air.

"This is our ministry," the police shouted. "The people and the police are one hand," they chanted, using an expression for unity. They complained their monthly salaries are 500-600 Egyptian pounds ($85-$100), and soldiers are far better compensated.

Interior Minister Mahmoud Wagdy emerged from the building to talk to the police through a megaphone.

"Give me a chance," he said. Later, the ministry said it was doubling the pay of low-ranking police.

Some police had been accused of stripping off their uniforms and joining gangs of thugs who attacked protesters at the height of the uprising.

There were also protests by workers at a ceramic factory, a textile factory and a port on the Mediterranean coast as Egyptians sought to improve their lot in a country where poverty and other challenges will take years to address.

Outside the headquarters of one of Egypt's major public banks, several hundred employees protested against alleged corruption by the bank manager, a government-appointed official. Protester Yasmine Haidar said newly appointed advisers to the manager had salaries nearly 70 times higher than her monthly $190.

"After the president left, we need the rest to leave behind him," she said. "The heads of all the rotten fish should be cut."

The five top officials at the bank left the building because employees had stopped working.

Meanwhile, in Tahrir Square, soldiers tried to convince the few remaining protesters to clear their tents and blankets.

An army vehicle drove through the square, broadcasting the military's announcement that it would dissolve parliament and suspend the constitution. Soldiers got out of the car to converse with protesters about the ruling council's plans. Some people clapped and cheered.

Some protesters were unsatisfied, and gathered with a wooden cross and a copy of the Quran.

"The government is still in place. The corruption is still here. Emergency laws are still here," said Mohammed Ahmed, an accountant. "When it is a civil state and we have a parliamentary system and political detainees are released, then we go."

Band confirms dead eagle as 1 of Alaska's oldest

A Kodiak Island bald eagle survived 25 years of Alaska hazards but met an unfortunate fate last month on the crossbar of a utility pole: electrocution.

A band attached to its leg showed the bird to be the second-oldest bald eagle documented in Alaska and one of the oldest in the country.

"It would be, based on the bird-banding record that I've seen, one of the top 10 oldest birds ever recorded," said Robin Corcoran, a wildlife biologist from the Kodiak Island National Wildlife Refuge.

The eagle's death was first reported by the Kodiak Daily Mirror.

The death was of high interest to raptor biologists, who have no other way besides recovered bands to confirm the age of mature wild eagles.

"Once they reach that full adult stage — white head, brown body, white tail — you don't have any idea how old they are," said Steve Lewis, coordinator of raptor management for the Alaska region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The oldest eagle documented in the country was a 32-year-old bird from Maine. Alaska's oldest recorded eagle was a 28-year-old from the Chilkat Valley outside Haines. Lewis suspects most eagles don't approach three decades but proving that with leg bands can be haphazard.

"Banding is one of these things, you put a lot of effort into it and you get little return, but the returns you get are really interesting," he said.

The odds of recovering a band go up around communities such as Kodiak. The city is on the island of the same name, the second largest in the U.S. The Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge covers one-third of the island and has a resident population of 2,500 birds, but the city is a drawing card for other eagles.

Hundreds from mainland Alaska gather there each winter when lakes and streams freeze up. Eagles are opportunistic eaters, grabbing fish and small mammals, but America's national bird is not above Dumpster-diving or feasting on other tidbits from humans.

"The canneries and fish process plants, the commercial fishing, it's a real magnet," Corcoran said.

Kodiak's only road out of town crosses hills to the nation's largest Coast Guard base.

"When you drive that road, there are easily, every day, one hundred birds, just on the hillside, sunning themselves in the trees if it's sunny, or just trying to stay dry," Corcoran said. "And then if you look down at the canneries, right on the water's edge, there are another hundred, at least a hundred birds, perched on the cannery rooftops."

A garbage bag in the back of a Kodiak pickup will attract winged intruders. Fishermen mostly are conscientious, she said, but boats will draw birds.

"Sometimes when the fishing boats come in, the nets are spun up on the back deck, there will still be some fish in there. The birds are all over the nets. You can see a dozen birds on one boat, just on the nets," Corcoran said. "Usually they're accompanied by Steller sea lions that are climbing up in the back of the boat to see what's left on the back deck."

Fish bait is another temptation.

"Yesterday there was some bait left unattended on the back deck of a boat and that caused a frenzy," Corcoran said. "The birds ended up getting soiled and fighting over it, and then they fall into the water."

Oiled by fish slime, feathers are less waterproof and eagles are more prone to hypothermia, she said.

Refuge biologists have retrieved starved eagles and cheap san antonio movers killed by airplanes, cars or leg-hold traps meant for fox. Sometimes there are mass mortalities.

Fifty eagles in January 2008 spotted an uncovered dump truck filled with fish guts outside a Kodiak seafood plant. Twenty drowned or were crushed. The rest were so slimed they had to be cleaned.

The refuge last year sent off 30 dead eagles to the National Eagle Repository northeast of Denver. Thirty to 40 eagle dead eagles recovered is typical, Corcoran said.

The electrocuted bird was captured in July 1989 as part of research project into possible health damage from the Exxon Valdez oil spill, which had occurred on March 24 that year.

"It was a beautiful older female," Corcoran said. The power pole near a cannery had been fitted with two devices designed to protect eagles but it perched on the lowest of three cross bars where utility authorities did not believe there was enough room to alight.

Lewis said there may be a new candidate for Alaska's oldest eagle. A dead eagle was found late last year on Adak Island in the Aleutians and may be as old as 29 1/2 years.

Tunisia calms as government rejects old guard

Tunisia's new government began releasing prisoners Wednesday and moved to track down assets stashed overseas by its deposed president and his widely disliked family.

Tensions on the streets appeared to be calming as the administration tried to show it was distancing itself from the old guard.

Hundreds of protesters led a rally in central Tunis demanding that former allies of deposed President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali stop clinging to power. Later, about 30 youths in the capital broke a curfew and set up camp near the heavily guarded Interior Ministry, bringing mats, food and water for an overnight sit-in. Police didn't bother them.

In recent days, police have fired tear gas and clubbed protesters.

The U.N. said more than 100 people have died in the unrest that surrounded Ben Ali's ouster.

Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia on Friday after 23 years in power, and a caretaker government is now struggling to calm this moderate Muslim nation on the Mediterranean Sea, popular among European tourists and seen as an ally in the West's fight against terrorism.

Ben Ali's longtime prime minister, Mohamed Ghannouchi, kept his post and is trying to convince Tunisians a new era has arrived — even if the composition of the interim government has many faces from the old guard.    Complete coverage of Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding on Yahoo! News

 

Interim President Fouad Mebazaa went on television and promised to live up to the people's revolt, which he called a "revolution."

"Regarding security, you have certainly noticed that it has improved," he said. "We have discovered the leaders of the chaos, and have stopped the gangs and those who put fear in the hearts of people. The situation is moving toward stability."

Some were doubtful of such promises of change.

Hafed al Maki, 50, who works at the country's largest insurance company, said he would not wait for the 60-day constitutional limit for new presidential elections to pass "because that is enough time for the old cronies to set their roots in and start their old ways again, thieving and taking our resources. No way that's happening again."

Opposition figures and the prime minister's office have said that the 60-day limit is unrealistically short, and the delay will more likely be six to seven months.

Swiss officials estimate Tunisian government officials have put about $620 million into Swiss banks, and the anti-corruption group Transparency International France and two other associations filed suit in Paris alleging corruption by Ben Ali and his wife.

A French government minister said the Tunisian central bank director has resigned following widespread rumors that the deposed president's wife fled the country with a stash of gold. The central bank has denied an unsourced report in French newspaper Le Monde that said Leila Trabelsi was believed to have taken 1.5 tons of gold out of the country, possibly bringing it to Switzerland.

But "rumors about that exist, and for that the president of the Central Bank of Tunisia has resigned," Nejib Chebbi, a longtime opponent who took a post in the unity government, told BBC World News.

Chebbi said an investigation would take place.

Tunisia's official TAP news agency also reported that the Central Bank had taken control of Banque Zitouna, a bank founded by a son-in-law of Ben Ali, to protect the deposits of accountholders and prevent a run on the bank.

The national prosecutor's office moved to investigate overseas bank accounts, real estate and other assets held by Ben Ali, his wife Leila Trabelsi and other relatives. His relations — especially his wife's family — were seen as corrupt and dominated many businesses in the nation.

The Swiss president said that her country's federal council agreed to freeze any assets in Switzerland belonging to Ben Ali, to help work up a possible criminal case over alleged stolen funds.

In Geneva, the United Nations' human rights chief, Navi Pillay, said she was sending an "assessment team" to Tunisia in coming days, and estimated more than 100 deaths have occurred so far during the unrest in Tunisia.

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Tunis' stock exchange, many shops, schools and universities remained closed and some workers have gone on strike. A curfew remains in place, thought the government shortened it as security improved.

In another effort to ease tensions, the government moved ahead Wednesday with plans to release 1,800 prisoners who had less than six months to serve, the official news agency reported. It was not immediately clear what prompted the release, and the report suggested they were not political prisoners.

The unrest has rattled Tunisia's economy, which had seen impressive growth in recent years. Moody's Investor Service downgraded Tunisia's government bond ratings Wednesday, citing "significant uncertainties" surrounding Tunisia's economic and political future.

Moody's cut the rating by one notch, to "Baa3" from "Baa2," and also downgraded its outlook to negative from stable. The new rating is one notch above "junk bond" status.

Wikileaks опубликовал высказывания американцев о "Газпроме"

Загадочные Мальдивы

Российская газовая компания "Газпром" является неэффективной государственной монополией, главные цели которой являются политическими, а не экономическими. Такое мнение американских дипломатов о "Газпроме" опубликовал в начале января сайт Wikileaks и его немецкий партнер Spiegel. В документах также говорится, что "Газпром" может быть причастен к коррупционным схемам в России.

Американские дипломаты пишут, что с топ-менеджерами "Газпрома" сложно договориться о встрече. Кроме того, на переговорах речь идет совсем не о бизнесе. В частности, американцы привели в пример встречу с заместителем председателя правления "Газпрома" Александром Медведевым, который предпочел обсуждать не дела компании, а отсутствие договора между Континентальной хоккейной лигой и НХЛ (Медведев является президентом КХЛ). На тех же переговорах Медведев обвинил Украину в "газовой войне" начала 2009 года.

В материалах также приводится другой разговор с неназванным менеджером из России. Он, по данным американцев, честно признался, что главной задачей "Газпрома" является обеспечение газом местного населения по доступным ценам, а также исполнение социальных обязательств. Лишь после этого менеджер сказал, что компания должна увеличивать капитализацию и долю на рынке. Кроме того, добавил источник, в цели "Газпрома" входит увеличение контроля над глобальными мировыми энергетическими ресурсами.

Американские дипломаты также с критикой отнеслись к заявлению главы "Газпрома" Алексея Миллера о том, что в будущем капитализация компании составит триллион долларов (заявление датировано 2008 годом). Они отметили, что во время кризиса экспорт газа из России упал, а капитализация "Газпрома" сократилась до 75 миллиардов долларов.

"Газпром" - крупнейшая компания России, которая имеет монопольное право на экспорт газа за рубеж. Более 50 процентов акций "Газпрома" принадлежит правительству страны. До кризиса сообщалось, что "Газпром" обеспечивает 20 процентов всего российского бюджета.

Wikileaks начал публиковать секретные документы американцев об операции в Афганистане, "иракское досье" и переписку дипломатов в конце 2010 года. 7 декабря основатель сайта Джулиан Ассанж был арестован, однако уже 16 декабря его выпустили под залог.

Более трети населения Пятигорска осталось без воды

В результате аварии на водопроводе в Пятигорске без водоснабжения остались несколько десятков тысяч жителей города, сообщает "Интерфакс".

По данным местных экстренных служб, прорыв трубы произошел около 14:00 по московскому времени. Для ликвидации аварии спасателям пришлось отключить подачу воды в несколько густонаселенных районов Пятигорска - в результате без водоснабжения остались примерно 55 тысяч человек.

"Водоснабжения лишились также одна больница и несколько санаториев, но там имеется резерв воды", - уточнил представитель экстренной службы. Он также отметил, что теплоснабжение в городе не нарушено.

В данный момент ведутся работы по устранению самопознание последствий аварии.

Общая численность населения Пятигорска составляет около 143 тысяч человек.

Congress passes aid package for 9/11 responders

After a last-minute compromise, Congress passed legislation Wednesday to provide up to $4.2 billion in new aid to survivors of the September 2001 terrorism attack on the World Trade Center and responders who became ill working in its ruins.

The House passed the bill on a 206-60 vote Wednesday about two hours after the Senate cleared it on a voice vote as lawmakers raced to wrap up their work before Christmas. President Barack Obama has said he is eager to sign the measure, though some supporters of the bill have criticized him for not getting more involved in the fight.
[ For complete coverage of politics and policy, go to Yahoo! Politics ]

The package provides $1.5 billion to monitor the health rescue and cleanup workers and treat illnesses related to ground zero. It also reopens a victims' compensation fund with $2.7 billion.

Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., said the measure was long overdue. "It's the right thing to do, and it's the right time to do it," she said.

The bill was a product of a compromise involving Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Republican Sens. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Mike Enzi of Wyoming. New York members of Congress had sought $2 billion more for the overall bill. They accepted the smaller amount in exchange for GOP critics dropping their opposition.

"The Christmas miracle we've been looking for has arrived," Schumer and Gillibrand said in a joint statement.

Schumer and Gillibrand had sought $6.2 billion and keeping the compensation fund open for 10 years.

"Every American recognizes the heroism of the 9/11 first responders, but it is not compassionate to help one group while robbing future generation of opportunity," said Coburn, who led a GOP blockade against the bill. "This agreement strikes a fair balance."

The bill gained momentum with help from cable TV personalities. Among the biggest supporters of the package were Fox News anchor Shepard Smith and comedian and activist Jon Stewart, who championed the bill and lashed its GOP foes on his Comedy Central TV program "The Daily Show."

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg praised Congress for finally working out a bill.

"As we look forward to the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, I am encouraged that our elected representatives in Washington came together and stood by those who were there for America in its hour of greatest need," Bloomberg said.

The compromise was reached after Democrats scheduled a showdown test vote for Wednesday afternoon and Republicans countered by threatening to run a 30-hour clock before allowing final Senate and House votes on the bill. That would have required keeping both the Senate and House in session for votes on Christmas Eve.

Backers worried that the bill would face a much tougher fight in the new, more fiscally conservative Congress where Republicans will have a stronger hand.

"Any single senator can hold this up way past Christmas and we know that can kill the bill," Schumer said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program Wednesday.

Nearly 16,000 responders and 2,700 people living near ground zero are currently sick and receiving treatment, supporters of the bill said. More than 40,000 responders are in medical pharm tech school monitoring, backers said.

The bill would be paid for with a fee on some foreign firms that get U.S. government procurement contracts. The bill also calls for extending fees on certain firms that rely on H-1B and L-1 visas.

Researchers have found that people exposed to the thick clouds of pulverized building materials at the trade center site have high rates of asthma and sinus problems. Many firefighters also suffered a reduction in lung power.

Doctors aren't sure, though, exactly how many people are ill, and scientific doubt persists about just how many of the hundreds of illnesses are actually linked to the trade center dust. Doctors still don't know whether there is any connection between the dust and potentially fatal illnesses like cancer.

The legislation is named for James Zadroga, a police detective who died at age 34. His supporters say he died from respiratory disease contracted at ground zero, but New York City's medical examiner said Zadroga's lung condition was caused by prescription drug abuse.

Московской милиции приказали отслеживать передвижения футбольных фанатов

Начальник столичного ГУВД Владимир Колокольцев приказал усилить меры безопасности на улицах Москвы в связи с произошедшими в субботу, 11 декабря, беспорядками. Об этом сообщает РИА Новости со ссылкой на начальника управления информации и общественных связей ГУВД Виктора Бирюкова.

По его словам, начальник ГУВД распорядился "отслеживать все передвижения футбольных фанатов, проводить профилактическую работу с ними, а в случаях серьезных правонарушений - задерживать".

В пресс-службе Управления транспортной милиции МВД РФ по ЦФО сообщили, что на все железнодорожные вокзалы Москвы направлены дополнительные наряды. Кроме того, дополнительные силы выделены для охраны подмосковных электричек.

В пресс-службе подчеркнули, что "пока никаких инцидентов, связанных с болельщиками, на вокзалах и в электропоездах не зафиксировано".

11 декабря на Манежной площади в центре Москвы произошел несанкционированный митинг, собравший, по оценкам правоохранительных органов, около пяти тысяч человек. Акция, в которой приняли участие футбольные болельщики и националисты, переросла в беспорядки, погромы и столкновения с милицией.

Поводом для митинга стало убийство болельщика московского "Спартака" Егора Свиридова, который погиб 6 декабря в драке с уроженцами одной из кавказских республик. Собравшиеся требовали наказать форум хакеров в гибели Свиридова.

В результате беспорядков пострадало около 30 человек. Примерно 65 участников митинга были задержаны.