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Today's Egyptian Headlines, And Is Albania Next?
A smattering of today's headlines across Egypt's state and private press... And a quick glance at Albania, where three people have already been killed in recent anti-government riots: is this the fuse that lights up Europe?
From Arabist.net
The state press
Al Ahram: "Four dead and 118 wounded among the protestors; 162 policemen wounded and 100 arrests in Cairo and the governorates"
Al Akhbar: "Protests in Cairo and Suez; Minister of Interior has banned protests"
Al Gomhouriya: "Security forces will firmly face any attempt to break the law and spread unrest"
Rose al-Youssef: "In an exclusive interview, the Minister of Interior
affirms that the Egyptian state is not fragile. This regime is
supported by millions of Egyptians and a few thousand protestors will
not destabilize it."
The private press
Al Masri Al Youm: "Protestors and police hold to their positions for the second day of protests"
Al Shorouk: "Gratuitous violence and excessive police brutality"
Al Wafd: "Change is the solution"
Nahdet Misr: "The protestors are right to be angry"
And looking forward, is violence about to skip the Mediterranean and go to Europe by way of Albania? If so, lift every Sov X offer available.
Public Unrest Boils Over in Albania
The Albanian opposition is set to hold another mass rally on Friday, even though
three people were killed during an anti-government demonstration last week,
allegedly by armed forces of the Ministry of Interior.
On Jan. 21, over 20,000 people demonstrated in capital Tirana against the
conservative government of Prime Minister Sali Berisha (opposition estimates
go as high as 200,000). Three people were shot dead after hundreds of
demonstrators attempted to escalate the police barricade protecting the
prime minister’s office.
Following the broadcasting of footage showing a National Guard (army forces
under the Ministry of Interior in charge of guarding institutions) officer
shooting an automatic rifle at the unarmed demonstrators, the Albanian state
prosecutor issued arrest warrants for six commanders of the National Guard.
The warrant has thus far not been carried out. The governing Democratic
Party has declared that the arrest warrants are a part of an opposition "well-
structured attempt of a coup d’etat".
Both government and opposition had scheduled rallies for this weekend.
"We will continue our protests, our demonstrations, without violence, with the
solid power of people’s resistance," declared Socialist Edi Rama, leader of the
opposition, calling for a rally this Friday to commemorate one week since the
three deaths.
In spite of such insistence on peaceful action, Rama is thought to be playing a
risky game: even among the opposition, some argue the leader could have
avoided the three deaths as he should have anticipated the demonstrators
would be met with violent repression by the government.
Meanwhile, Berisha called off the scheduled pro-government counter-
demonstration, following an intervention of EU envoy Miroslav Lajcak this
week. Lajcak asked for "an end of violence" and warned that "the European
future of Albania depends very much on whether the political leaders choose
to do what we’ve asked them to do and do that now."
Opposition leaders are arguing that Berisha is using the pretence of
protecting the rule of law and the safety of citizens in order to preserve his
power position.
Albania, with a population of 3.2 million and one of Europe’s poorest
countries, has been caught in a political deadlock ever since the June 2009
general elections narrowly won by Berisha’s party, which the opposition
claimed were rigged. In May last year, opposition members and their allies
went on hunger strike supported by demonstrations in the tens of thousands,
to ask for a recount of the vote. Mediation from international bodies led the
opposition to stop their protests. Now, the opposition claims the government
failed to keep their promise to the international community, to allow for the
investigation of the elections.
While still enjoying considerable support, Prime Minister Berisha is broadly
seen as a corrupted politician. Berisha was president of Albania between 1992
and 1997, ending his mandate during a civil war following the collapse of
pyramidal (ponzi) schemes that cost Albanians close to a billion euros in
lifetime savings.
On Jan. 14, Berisha’s ally in government, Minister of Economy and Trade Ilir
Meta (the maverick head of the smaller Socialist Movement for Integration)
was forced to resign after a popular TV channel broadcast footage that
purportedly showed him trying to influence a government tender. Meta
became a minister of economy last year, replacing Dritan Prifti, who was
himself caught up in a corruption scandal at the time.
"Meta’s resignation was merely formal, as the coalition with Berisha continues
to exist and Meta’s position as Minister of Economy, Trade and Energy was
simply transferred to one of his trusted people," Erion Veliaj from the small
opposition party G99 told IPS.
"The public opinion and most media outlets were furious with the blatant
denial of the facts displayed in the video scandal, as Berisha and Meta
continued to attack Rama as the ‘fabricator’ of the video (despite the fact that
the video was filmed and distributed by Dritan Prifti)."
This anger added to the existing public frustration with the government and
led to Friday’s massive presence in the demonstration called by the
opposition. According to Veliaj, public anger was further amplified by "a
government struggling with economic problems, increasing taxes and having
difficulties in paying public administration salaries, along with the rejection of
Albania’s application for EU candidacy in November 2010."
While the EU and the U.S. (highly revered in Albania) are insisting on an end to
all street actions which may lead to violence, some Albanian commentators
argue the opposition has no choice but to continue the demonstrations.
"In the last two years, Berisha has attacked all independent institutions, so
there are no more channels for the opposition to resort to," argues political
scientist Arolda Elbasani from the Berlin Social Science Research Center (WZB).
"In its 2010 opinion on Albania, the EU criticises the functioning of all
independent institutions, even though in a diplomatic manner. All current
ministers are accused of corruption. The cases are investigated but, strangely
enough, they all stop without any conclusion."
Elbasani recounts that, during the 1997 ponzi scheme conflict, Berisha
resisted public pressure for his resignation by refusing any negotiations with
the opposition and using his supporters and the army against the
demonstrators.
"Berisha is doing the same thing now," says the political scientist, adding that
the prime minister’s grip on the state is stronger now, "making it more costly
for him to leave."
"The internationals need to speak more clearly about the deficiencies of the
government and disclose its wrongdoings," Elbasani told IPS.
"It is the government’s wrongdoings, the refusal to investigate the electoral
irregularities and the ministers’ corruption that have logically taken the
country here," Elbasani says. "This was to be expected, as it can be expected
that the crisis will degenerate further."
h/t Scrataliano
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http://www.businessandfinance.ie/news/germanofficialsurgegreekdebtrestru...
Moldavia
Yemen
Algeria
Siria
Lebanon
Senegal
Then cross up the mediterranea sea....
Albania
Moldavia
Yugoslavia zone
Romania
Bulgaria...
-The world will never be the same...
Crash the banks till they pay their mistakes, Back to GOLD/SILVER hard assets currency system NOW¡
THe end of the Dictators is close... MIDDLE CLASSES STAND UP - Fightém
Don't you think these are the signs of diminishing American power?
Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Sudan.... probably the most representative of the musilm diaspora across europe. This could spread faster than a twitterfire.
ORI
http://aadivaahan.wordpress.com/2011/01/27/wisdom-for-warriors-6/
Yemen is in awful shape and would have gone up already if not for the hand of Saud. Could it be that Brotherly Leader and Guide to the Revolution, Muammar al-Gaddafi will be the last man standing? Ar-rahmah.
Yemen has also entered the ring
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110127/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_yemen_protest
Thanks for the link Gookem, did you catch this from the AP article?
That is the first I have heard Nidal Malik was an "inspired" terrorist.
Double D yes, most interesting and viable -similar to the Global Harvest a ministry dedicated to spiritual(religous) warfare practiced at the World Prayer Center. As always this United States always throws firewood upon fire and never has an extinguisher.
In the past five years, U.S. military assistance to Yemen has totaled about $250 million. In 2010, military and civilian aid was almost evenly split and combined for about $300 million.
Military aid to Yemen would reach $250 million in 2011 alone, U.S. officials said, and Clinton said there will be additional development aid.
Is that the same Anwar Al-Awlaki that was cavorting with his handlers at the Pentagon only months after 911?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1322397/Al-Qaedas-Anwar-Al-Awlak...
for the last three days I've been saying that Yemen was next. Now...it's reality.
Allow me to say "I told you so" ( sorry...I just had to have that Casandra moment)
Anti-government rallies hit Yemen
Tens of thousands of people, inspired by events in Tunisia, protest in Sanaa to demand President Saleh's resignation.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/01/2011127100660857.html
This might end up in KSA.
Nice, that's already next door to Europe and Russia :)
LET'S GET READY!!!! TO RUMBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THING!!!
LOUD NOISES!
They run a ponzi scheme as well I see........
It's to bad Indians are too dull and too 'hindu' re brainwashed to stand up to their politicians...
And as for Americans...maybe if a political organizer were to hand out BigMacs and Cokes they could get a mass rally going...
Nothing makes me want to stand up and act more than 30g of saturated fat and tons of corn syrup.
Mmmmmm...corny syruppy duff beer....mmmmm....
ERROR: US CARDIO FAILURE
Please contact your local McDonalds if the problem persists.
So it is Albania, I always wondered which one will be the first on my dear continent.
Some protesting there certainly won't calm the Greek, maybe we're in for another type of race to the bottom that we all thought, who cares about currencies anyway? :)
Baksheesh, baby.
20,000 people at a demo in Tirana!
Thats a hell of a lot of donkeys left unattended...hope their ok
Said donkeys are actually sweating in the governmental offices right now and figuring out a new strategy to placate the masses, while also working on a Plan B that involes a charter flight to some banana republic with physical gold on hand.
Government corruption has no bounds.
Ah, pshaw. Concertina wire on top of the White House fence makes a great barrier.
When it hits Saudi Arabia game over for the dollar as reserve currency
Check out the map. I see a whole lotta US military just across the border in Iraq.
Which is the only explanation for war in Iraq that passes the sniff test, IMO. Unseating a dictator... nope, too many of those around. WMD... nope... dozens of countries with similar anti-american POV who would make the list. Breeding grown for terrorists... nope... we may have created one, but we didn't eliminate one. Iraq was posturing about oil sales in the Euro... and our military protection of Saudi Arabia further supporting petrodollars enhanced by permanent bases in the middle east (to include the largest embassy ever built).
Oil will be sold in dollars until whatever time the United States collapses completely.
Agreed. And when regular military means can't get the job done they'll roll out bio-weapons and attribute the plagues to poor living conditions brought about by widespread disruptions as a result of governments falling.
May you live in interesting times.
They'll blame it on the snow.
+1
That's a pretty astute speculation.
Flooding at the moment.
Sure, the Egyptians and the Albanians wield great influence over Europe. As much influence as California has on Alabama.
Sarajevo wasn't exactly the center of Christendom on 1914 either...
And if/when California goes belly up I guarantee you Alabama (and the rest of the states) will be feeling the pain in one way or another.
Exactly +1
Where in the world is Archduke Ferdinand?
Checking out the sex slave market in Albania. I hear they are having a sale.
Maybe he took up the offer to survey Dealy Plaza...
That's a suprisingly favorable casualty ratio for unarmed protestors and a damn low arrest rate. Something tells me the cops see the writing on the wall and are just going through the motions or taking a dive the first chance they get.
I try not to feel too sorry for people who make their own bad decisions. And while I tend not to think a lot about those who sign up to be police officers, I doubt highly that they actually signed up for this. That time will come here some day.
have you heard the guardian clip of the reporter in the back of the police van?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/27/egypt-riot-security-force-action
Good story, too. Nothing is gonna hold back a regional Arab revolution, me thinks.
Should be good for AMZN, no?
Always, and I mean always pay attention to the Ottomans...I mean the Turks.
interestingly the founder of modern Egypt Mohammad Ali was Albanian...his first act was to invite 64 local Mamluk princes for peace talks - then in true Ottoman fashion kill all of them and declare himself Sultan of Egypt....still suffering the Ottomans...i mean the turks - yes, you better watch them!
invitehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Ali_of_Egypt
This is all bullish news as it shows just how strong the economies are around the world and how companies that quote in stock markets will benefit from strong sales in the quarters ahead. Why this should be good for at least another 100 points in the Dow today.
I long for the good old days of Zog.
I hope the former england's imported muslim population burns londonistan down to the ground.
I hear Albania is nice this time of year.
The prices will be going up in Malta!
Wrong preparations. All they need is just one KILLDOZER.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_Heemeyer
KILLDOZERS should be a standard equipment of any free society, one unit per village is mandatory.
Strong buy CAT !!!
Just 1-1/2 hour NW of me (Denver, CO). We watched this on the local news. He was a little off his nut, but so is half of Granby. Still, a great place to fish.
Never piss off a welder.
Passed through Granby late in the evening to gas up only a couple of days after this happened. A slightly odd...Twilight Zone...feeling seeing the boarded up buildings. Even the gas station clerk was odd.
A matter of days before riots are blamed on Israeli Mossad agents...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/abraham-h-foxman/conspiracy-theories-anti_...
The Mossad has been busy flooding the streets of Jeddah.
I don't know. Reading that set me off on researching both jewish holocost deniers and the armenian genocide. It's really kind of sad. Both sides have so much at stake. Nobody wants the bad guys weasling out and nobody wants genocide. I just find it odd that records are so one sided over those issues.
There's a timewave theory and the guy who has it is bit crackpot but it states that as we approach end of 2012 time will speed up. That it's like a sea shell following fibionacci reducing patterns. Circling in every tighter circles. I think we need to let people speek up about this stuff. I can read a well reasoned article about why we should wipe out the jews without thinking. Hey let's see if this really is the problem. I don't think the problem is race really. I think he problem is people think they can get away with it or outpropagandize their opponent or horde all the justification and sympathy. Are they sympathy magicians and rhetorik slingers all from one race or religious group. I don't think so. Hell the IMF and cia have done a hundred haulocausts and armenian slaughters and trails of tears in the last 60 years.
I think the key to it all is that you just have to be bad at defending yourself and you'll invite an attack or have something somebody wants to control.
Al Roker: "And here's what's going on in your neck of the woods"
Defense minister Tantawi requests U.S. backing. Egyptian army on stand by. Unconfirmed reports of large police massacre in Suez coming across Arab language radio.
Yemen
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/28/world/middleeast/28yemen.html?_r=1&par...
And it's not even Friday which is usually the big day for stuff happening over there.
KSA must be shitting in their robes. We probably should be in the USA, but are too distracted as PCLN is up 2.5%!!!
This will be my last post from a military installation for a while and I just want to say thanks to TD and all you folks...I found out about this site in late September 2010 and I've learned so much in such a short period of time. I will be a civilian shortly so I'll see you on the flip side!! Signing off!
Thank you for your service. Good luck to you on the flip side.
Welcome home
It just hit. New Orders. Thanks for letting me vent!
As-Salmu Alaykum, civilians.
Crassus out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh5ogOH82Aw
Where are all the neo-con nuts who condemned the elections in Iran right now? Strangely (not really) mute.
While we are all focused on the people rioting in the streets in North Africa let's not forget the millions of North Africans/Arabs/Muslims currently living in Europe ( esp. Germany, Netherlands, France and UK). Is it likely that these folks are going to stand by quietly and see their countrymen slaughtered by police and military without realizing the role that the bankers of the country where they are living have been playing in the political and economic repression at home?
Demonstrations & more coming soon to London, Paris, Berlin and Amsterdam.
There's a reason it is called Eurabia.
Like I said before, the U.S. is selling it's assets to pay it's debt. Egypt...SOLD. Eurabia...SOLD.
Seems like Mr. Nigel Farage was correct in his thoughts.
The USA prints $$$. World commodities are priced in US$. Commodities prices rise. The lowest strata of the world's population, who have no dollars, will starve. They will destabilize their governments, some of whom will fall to organize radicals who blame the US for world wide misery. Nations will begin to turn away from the US$ based system in order to find a way to sustain their populations (following the example of the recent Russia-China bilateral currency trading regime).
Sounds like all going to plan. Won't that repatriate a gob of dollars back to the U. S.?
Or not?
Yea, when all those dollars come back into the US can you say Hyperinflation. You see we exported inflation via being the currency of first resort. But if it comes back and/or people don't want it then we have billions of green colored paper that is chasing fewer and fewer goods (especially when nobody will take these green pieces of paper to buy their goods overseas). Albania looks like the beachhead into europe for the start of popular revolt on the banks and money. In Egypt when Mubarrak's son skipped town and left the country to hide in the UK, it's a sign that things aren't going to well. As one person said a few days ago, a king will continue to be a king until he's not. Meaning that they will continue to say, show they are a king or leader of the people until they decided it's time to leave. And they do because if your a dictator you don't want to be around when they start trying you for crimes against your people.