Six In The Morning

Stupid, Defiant and Bitter Till The Very End

In Mubarak’s final hours, defiance surprises U.S. and threatens to unleash chaos

After a week of crossed signals and strained conversations, the Obama administration finally had good news: Late Wednesday, CIA and Pentagon officials learned of the Egyptian military’s plan to relieve President Hosni Mubarak of his primary powers immediately and end the unrest that had convulsed the country for more than two weeks.  

The scheme would unfold Thursday, with the only uncertainty being Mubarak’s fate. “There were two scenarios: He would either leave office, or he would transfer power,” said a U.S. government official who was briefed on the plan. “These were not speculative scenarios. There was solid information” and a carefully crafted script.

Shot By An American Naturally It’s Pakistan’s  Fault

Veiled threats over US aid as court accuses consulate adviser of cold-blooded murder

How Pakistan could be made to pay for an American killer  

Pakistani police believe an American official who shot dead two men in the city of Lahore committed “cold-blooded murder” and have rejected his claim that he was acting in self-defence.

A judge has ordered that he be detained in custody for a further 14 days.In the latest development in an incident that is rapidly turning into a diplomatic stand-off between Washington and its regional ally, the police chief in Lahore, Aslam Tareen, said his team’s inquiries had led them to reject Raymond Davis’s claim that his life had been in danger.

“His plea has been rejected by police investigators. He gave no chance to them to survive. That is why we consider it was not self-defence,” said Mr Tareen. “We have proof it was not self-defence. It was cold-blooded murder.”

From The Dictator Handbook: Rob Country Blind On The Way Out  

Charles Taylor, the former Liberian president, could have as much as $400 million hidden away out of reach of prosecutors, according to leaked US diplomatic cables.

WikiLeaks: Charles Taylor may have $400 million out of reach

US officials were told that if Mr Taylor is found guilty of war crimes, the international court in The Hague might only be able to recover a fraction of his wealth.

On Friday judges in The Hague adjourned indefinitely the three-year-old trial of Mr Taylor on charges of arming rebels who killed and maimed Sierra Leone citizens.

Instead of closing it, as scheduled, Mr Taylor’s lawyers were granted leave to appeal an earlier decision refusing the late filing of a defence document.

Melodramatic Language That Teaches?  

In South Africa, soap operas have helped eliminate the linguistic boundaries between English and the 11 other languages adopted at the end of apartheid.

Soap operas bring linguistic democracy to South Africa  

The writers of the South African Constitution probably did not imagine soap operas as a way to achieve linguistic democracy, but they are practicing just that.

Television came to South Africa in 1976, with English and Afrikaans dominating programming throughout the apartheid era. With democracy in the 1990s came a new Constitution that named 11 official languages, as well as a mandate for the state to “elevate the status and advance the use of these languages.” Enter “soapies,” as the locals call them.

Freedom Of Assembly Doesn’t Come To Algeria  

Algeria police deployed ahead of banned democracy rally



The government has banned the protest, but opposition and rights groups say they intend to go ahead with the march.

Algeria – like other countries in the region – has recently witnessed demonstrations for greater freedoms.

On Friday, police stopped people from gathering to celebrate the fall of Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak.

They’re Red They’re Not Communists And They Are Back  



Anti-government Red Shirts to hold Bangkok rally

THAILAND’S ANTI-GOVERNMENT Red Shirts are planning a major rally tomorrow at Bangkok’s criminal court to demand the release of their detained leaders, highlighting how tensions continue to dog political life in the country.

Prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has said there will be elections in the first half of this year if there is no fresh political violence.

The election will be a watershed event for Thailand as it will give the first opportunity for the divided country to decide who it wants as ruler after years of polarising violence and political uncertainty.