Syria: protest spread despite crackdown
Qaddafi had tried to mine Misrata harbor, and had threatened with a tribes attack against the city, nothing of which materialised. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Col Muammar Qaddafi to step down.
On May 1, thousands of people, including trade union members, marched in Morocco’s cities demanding a faster transition toward democracy and decrying terrorism
Despite the invasion of the cities of Deraa and Douma and mass arrests, large protests came out on April 30. This time, several political, ethnic and religious groups who previously kept their distance from the uprising, joined the protests. Among theme were the Muslim Brotherhood and the Druze minority, the Kurds in Qamishli and other minorities. A petition signed by dozens of writers and academics from all ethnic groups showed that the uprising is above sectarian considerations. There were also sizable protests in the crucial metropolitan centres of Aleppo and Damascus that had remained relatively calm before.
Security forces are said to have killed 62 persons bringing the total deaths at estimated 600. Mass killing by the 4th brigade went on in Alawi area near the Lebanese border.
More news came out about mutiny or a split in the 5th Army Division about killing civilians. Over 300 members of the Baath Party have resigned and publicly condemned the crackdown. Protest groups have vowed to hold daily noon protests until the "sieges" of Dera'a and of Douma. In a Kurdish village near Qamishli some 2,000 people attended the funeral of a conscript believed to be killed for refusing to take part in the repression.
The Syrian authorities have offered an amnesty to opposition groups who have defied the regime, saying the "vandals and terrorists" have 15 days to hand themselves in or face the consequences.
The USA imposed sanctions on several key members of the Assad regime, among them on Assad brother, Maher, commander of the Syrian Army's 4th Armored Division
Security forces are said to have killed 62 persons bringing the total deaths at estimated 600. Mass killing by the 4th brigade went on in Alawi area near the Lebanese border.
More news came out about mutiny or a split in the 5th Army Division about killing civilians. Over 300 members of the Baath Party have resigned and publicly condemned the crackdown. Protest groups have vowed to hold daily noon protests until the "sieges" of Dera'a and of Douma. In a Kurdish village near Qamishli some 2,000 people attended the funeral of a conscript believed to be killed for refusing to take part in the repression.
The Syrian authorities have offered an amnesty to opposition groups who have defied the regime, saying the "vandals and terrorists" have 15 days to hand themselves in or face the consequences.
The USA imposed sanctions on several key members of the Assad regime, among them on Assad brother, Maher, commander of the Syrian Army's 4th Armored Division
Libya: Qaddafi targeted as he loses ground
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi survived a NATO air-strike on April 30 that killed his youngest son Saif al-Arab and three of his grandchildren in command-and-control centre near Bab al-Azizia. The NATO coalition denied assassination attempts but conceded a change of tactics: an increased targeting the decision centres of Libyan regime in Tripoli and Sirte after it has destroyed most accessible targets. Qaddafi had tried to mine Misrata harbor, and had threatened with a tribes attack against the city, nothing of which materialised. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Col Muammar Qaddafi to step down.
Egypt: shift in foreign policy
Palestine - In a surprise announcement following secret talks in Cairo, the Fatah party and its Islamist rival Hamas said they had put a four-year rift behind them. The two parties pledged to form an interim unity government with elections in both the West Bank and Gaza in December. After the reconciliation, the Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil al-Araby has urged the United States to support the declaration of an independent Palestinian state.
The Foreign Ministry Egypt announced it intends to open its border with Gaza. The gas pipeline towards Jordan and Israel exploded near Arish on Apríl 28.
Islamists - In its first meeting since 1995, the Muslim Brotherhood’s Shura Council on April 30 announced the leaders of its would-be political party and pledged not to run for more than half the parliamentary seats in Egypt’s upcoming parliamentary elections. This would mean an increase in the number of candidates the party will field it the September parliamentary elections up from an announced 30 % of the constituencies, in a sign of the increasing confidence of Egypt's Islamists. The contradiction with earlier statements makes MB appear little credible. The group affirmed that it would not support any brother who decides to compete for the state’s highest executive office, in reference to prominent reformist Abdel Moneim Abouel Fotouh, who had announced he might run for president independently of the new MB party.
The Muslim Brotherhood’s legislative body appointed Mohammed Morsy as president of the Freedom and Justice Party, Essam al-Erian as vice president and Saad al-Katatny as secretary general. As a sign of the independence of their political party from the mother organization - a plea constantly reiterated by observers and the group’s reformist voices - the Shura Council required the three leaders to relinquish their positions in the Guidance Bureau. The appointment was criticised by young Brotherhood members.
Protests - Three recently-appointed governors who were rejected by the public, causing unrest in the respective governorates.
Egypts’ workers chanted against Mubarak during the Labor Day celebrations on 1 May. Prime Minister Essam Sharaf did not attend the celebrations even though he was invited. In a dramatic end, a group of thugs overran the stage and put an end to the party.
Justice - The prosecution received a report from a fact-finding commission charged with investigating the events of the 25 January revolution, stating that prison breaks were planned and that police used ammunition and tear gas to create chaos.
Budget - Before the unrest, Egypt had predicted a deficit of 7.9 percent of GDP for fiscal 2010/11, but later revised that upwards to 9.4 percent. The IMF projects a plunge in growth to 1.0 percent this year, after a 5.1 percent expansion in 2010. Planning and International Cooperation Minister Faiza Abu el-Naga announced on Monday a development plan worth LE230 billion to kick-start the economy after Mubarak's ouster.
The Foreign Ministry Egypt announced it intends to open its border with Gaza. The gas pipeline towards Jordan and Israel exploded near Arish on Apríl 28.
Islamists - In its first meeting since 1995, the Muslim Brotherhood’s Shura Council on April 30 announced the leaders of its would-be political party and pledged not to run for more than half the parliamentary seats in Egypt’s upcoming parliamentary elections. This would mean an increase in the number of candidates the party will field it the September parliamentary elections up from an announced 30 % of the constituencies, in a sign of the increasing confidence of Egypt's Islamists. The contradiction with earlier statements makes MB appear little credible. The group affirmed that it would not support any brother who decides to compete for the state’s highest executive office, in reference to prominent reformist Abdel Moneim Abouel Fotouh, who had announced he might run for president independently of the new MB party.
The Muslim Brotherhood’s legislative body appointed Mohammed Morsy as president of the Freedom and Justice Party, Essam al-Erian as vice president and Saad al-Katatny as secretary general. As a sign of the independence of their political party from the mother organization - a plea constantly reiterated by observers and the group’s reformist voices - the Shura Council required the three leaders to relinquish their positions in the Guidance Bureau. The appointment was criticised by young Brotherhood members.
Protests - Three recently-appointed governors who were rejected by the public, causing unrest in the respective governorates.
Egypts’ workers chanted against Mubarak during the Labor Day celebrations on 1 May. Prime Minister Essam Sharaf did not attend the celebrations even though he was invited. In a dramatic end, a group of thugs overran the stage and put an end to the party.
Justice - The prosecution received a report from a fact-finding commission charged with investigating the events of the 25 January revolution, stating that prison breaks were planned and that police used ammunition and tear gas to create chaos.
Budget - Before the unrest, Egypt had predicted a deficit of 7.9 percent of GDP for fiscal 2010/11, but later revised that upwards to 9.4 percent. The IMF projects a plunge in growth to 1.0 percent this year, after a 5.1 percent expansion in 2010. Planning and International Cooperation Minister Faiza Abu el-Naga announced on Monday a development plan worth LE230 billion to kick-start the economy after Mubarak's ouster.
Yemen: failure of the transition deal
President Ali Abdullah Saleh did not attend the signing of the Gulf states negotiated deal, bringing down the only serious attempt to end the crisis. Large duelling demonstrations were held in the capital of Sanaa. Tens of thousands of protesters marched up demanding the ouster of President Saleh.Morocco: a first terrorist attack
On April 28 a bomb in a crowded tourist cafe in Marrakesh killed 16 people, in a first Al-Qaeda style attack since the Arab revolutions began. On May 1, thousands of people, including trade union members, marched in Morocco’s cities demanding a faster transition toward democracy and decrying terrorism
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