Evening Edition

Evening Edition is an Open Thread

From Yahoo News Top Stories

1 Thousands rally to demand Algerian leader quits

AFP

1 hr 16 mins ago

ALGIERS (AFP) – Up to 2,000 demonstrators evaded massed police Saturday to rally in a central Algiers square, pressing for the demise of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika following the ouster of leaders in Egypt and Tunisia.

Ringed by hundreds of anti-riot forces, some carrying automatic weapons in addition to clubs and shields, they waved a large banner reading “Regime, out” and chanted slogans borrowed from the mass protests in Tunis and Cairo.

But police deployed in their thousands prevented a planned march from May 1 Square of some four kilometres (three miles) to Martyrs Square.

2 Protesters force police cordon in Algiers demo

by Beatrice Khadige, AFP

Sat Feb 12, 6:53 am ET

ALGIERS (AFP) – Up to 2,000 Algerian demonstrators briefly forced a police cordon Saturday as they tried to begin a banned march calling for regime change a day after the fall of Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak.

Protesters, put at 800 by police but estimated at 2,000 by journalists at the scene, found themselves blocked again by massed security forces, who had encircled the area, backed up by armoured vehicles

There were scuffles with security forces and numerous arrests well before the march called by the National Coordination for Change and Democracy (CNCD) had been due to begin at 11 am (1000 GMT), witnesses said.

3 Egypt military vows democracy after Mubarak’s fall

by Joseph Krauss, AFP

40 mins ago

CAIRO (AFP) – Egypt’s new military leadership vowed Saturday to pave the way for democracy and abide by its peace treaty with Israel, as Egyptians basked in their victory a day after Hosni Mubarak’s overthrow.

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces said the current government would remain in place for a peaceful transition to “an elected civil authority to build a free democratic state,” although it set no timetable.

In Washington, US President Barack Obama welcomed the Egyptian military’s pledge.

4 Mubarak falls as a million Egyptians march

by Mona Salem, AFP

Fri Feb 11, 7:56 pm ET

CAIRO (AFP) – Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak was forced to cede power Friday to a junta of senior military commanders after more than a million demonstrators took to the streets, culminating an 18-day uprising in the Arab world’s most populous country.

News of the regime’s collapse whipped rapidly across Cairo, sparking an eruption of joy and joyous chants of “We the people have overthrown the regime!”

A grim-faced and ashen Vice President Omar Suleiman announced the handover on state television after an extraordinary national outpouring of rage brought vast crowds into the streets across the country.

5 A hopeful Egypt looks ahead after Mubarak’s fall

by Rana Moussaoui, AFP

Sat Feb 12, 7:53 am ET

CAIRO (AFP) – Egyptians on Saturday celebrated their first day of victory after an uprising drove veteran strongman Hosni Mubarak from power, expressing hope that their new military rulers will chart a path to democracy.

The streets and squares of downtown Cairo were in the hands of the mostly young demonstrators whose determined 18-day revolt overturned 30 years of autocratic rule and triggered an outpouring of national solidarity.

But political power now rests with the military commanders who stepped into the vacuum left by Mubarak’s departure, and many people were anxiously waiting to see whether they will make good their promise to respect the popular will.

6 Western leaders hail Mubarak resignation

AFP

Sat Feb 12, 3:47 am ET

PARIS (AFP) – Western leaders hailed the toppling of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak as a historic victory for people power and democracy while China and Russia called for stability on Saturday.

Messages of congratulation to the Egyptian people flooded in as Mubarak handed over power to senior army officers after 18 days of mounting protests against his autocratic 30-year rule.

US President Barack Obama said the people of Egypt had spoken and would settle for nothing less than “genuine democracy.”

7 New dawn for Egypt as Mubarak toppled

by Rana Moussaoui, AFP

Sat Feb 12, 3:51 am ET

CAIRO (AFP) – Thousands of Egyptians were still singing and waving flags as dawn broke over a nation reborn on Saturday, after a popular uprising forced president Hosni Mubarak from power.

The streets and squares of downtown Cairo were still in the hands of the mostly young demonstrators whose determined 18-day revolt overturned 30 years of autocratic rule and triggered an outpouring of national solidarity.

But political power now rests with the military commanders who stepped into the vacuum left by Mubarak’s departure, and many people were anxiously waiting to see whether they will make good their promise to respect the popular will.

8 Pakistan court issues arrest warrant for Musharraf

by Khurram Shahzad, AFP

Sat Feb 12, 6:48 am ET

ISLAMABAD (AFP) – A Pakistani anti-terrorism court on Saturday issued an arrest warrant for former president Pervez Musharraf over the assassination of ex-prime minister Benazir Bhutto, a public prosecutor said.

Musharraf, who was president when Bhutto was killed in December 2007 in a gun and suicide bomb attack, is in self-imposed exile in London. He will not be going back to Pakistan for any court hearing, his spokesman said.

The former president and military ruler is alleged to have been part of a “broad conspiracy” to have his political rival killed before elections, though the exact nature of the charges against him was not immediately clear.

9 Taliban targets police in Afghan city killing 19

by Nasrat Shoaib, AFP

Sat Feb 12, 10:35 am ET

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AFP) – Nineteen people, including 15 police and an intelligence agent, died Saturday in a string of devastating attacks in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar claimed by the Taliban.

The attacks, which played out over several hours and left 49 people wounded, involved several suicide bombers armed with guns and grenades firing on the main police headquarters after occupying a wedding hall opposite.

Three car bombs were also detonated near the police office and a further three were defused before they could go off, local officials said.

10 Greece slams ‘unacceptable’ EU-IMF asset sale call

41 mins ago

ATHENS (AFP) – Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou on Saturday accused EU and IMF officials of “unacceptable behaviour” over demands for a 50-billion-euro asset sale to ease Greece’s crushing debts.

Papandreou’s office said he had personally complained to International Monetary Fund director Dominique Strauss-Kahn over the “unacceptable behaviour” of European Union, IMF and European Central Bank experts monitoring Greece’s economic reforms.

Papandreou also called EU economic affairs commissioner Olli Rehn, the prime minister’s office said, and is also reportedly planning similar protests to European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet.

11 Wales beat Scotland in Six Nations rugby

by Luke Phillips, AFP

1 hr 47 mins ago

EDINBURGH (AFP) – After eight games and almost a year without a victory, Wales finally got that winning feeling back on Saturday with a dour 24-6 victory over Scotland in the Six Nations.

The result bucked a trend that had seen the Welsh last win against Italy in March 2010, before going on to lose to South Africa (2), New Zealand (3), Australia and England, and draw with Fiji.

Two Shane Williams tries and 14 points from the boot of James Hook outpointed two Dan Parks penalties, leaving the home side winless after two outings this season after they lost 34-21 to France last weekend.

12 England beat Italy 59-13 in Six Nations rugby

by Rob Woollard, AFP

Sat Feb 12, 12:36 pm ET

LONDON (AFP) – Winger Chris Ashton scored four tries as England overwhelmed Italy 59-13 at Twickenham here Saturday to maintain their unbeaten start to the Six Nations championship.

England, who opened their campaign with victory in Cardiff last week, ran in eight tries and were always in control against an Italian side who had come close to scoring an upset over Ireland in their first match.

England’s other tries came from wing Mark Cueto, captain Mike Tindall, flanker James Haskell and substitute Danny Care.

13 For Colombia growers, Valentine’s coming up roses

by Nina Negron, AFP

2 hrs 15 mins ago

BOGOTA (AFP) – Valentine’s Day can turn the most hard-bitten cynic into a sentimental softie, but for Colombia’s flower growers the holiday is less about romance than cashing in on a huge day for sales.

Colombia sells some 15 percent of its annual rose production in the runup to the global commemoration of romantic love. It is expected to provide a much-needed billion-dollar boost, after a global recession and local frost hobbled last year’s crop.

White plastic tarps cover the elevated plains outside Bogota and Colombia’s second city Medellin for as far as the eye can see. Inside the greenhouses, thousands of mostly female workers scramble to harvest, cut and box millions of roses bound for foreign markets, mainly in the United States.

14 Obama’s high-speed rail faces political challenge

by Paul Handley, AFP

Sat Feb 12, 2:28 am ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) – US President Barack Obama wants to build high-speed trains like France’s famous TGV around the country to boost US competitiveness and create jobs.

But when his 2011-2012 budget plan comes out on Monday, Republicans are likely to hone in on $8 billion in proposed rail funds in their effort to slash spending.

An issue of national economic strategy for the White House, high-speed railways, which are under construction from Latin America to the Middle East and across Asia, are mired in political party rivalry over budgets in the United States.

I have some errands so this is all for now.  I expect to be back later with more.

2 comments

  1. and the right wing Democrats would like to take this country back to the 1800’s. High speed rail in the US would be a real boost to the economy and jobs and give the damned airlines incentive to be more competitive and drop prices. Instead of cutting job creating budget items, thye need to cut defense spending.

    I love the pictures of the Egyptian people cleaning the streets and Tahrir Square, trucking away the burned vehicles and bags of trash. They are still celebrating.

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