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Tahrir crowds swell on ‘last chance Friday’
Syria yet to agree to Arab deal
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Clashes rock Yemen capital despite deal
Jaish, JuD hold rally against India in PoK
Members of Pakistan’s banned Islamist groups during an anti-India rally in Muzaffarabad on Friday. — AFP
No talks with armed Taliban, says Malik
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Tahrir crowds swell on ‘last chance Friday’
Cairo, November 25 The military men who took over after people power toppled President Hosni Mubarak on February 11 are themselves under fire from protesters who accuse them of clinging to power, leading to street battles that look like a replay of February’s unrest. The ruling army council named Kamal Ganzouri, 78, who served as prime minister under Mubarak from 1996 to 1999, to head a national salvation government. Prime Minister Essam Sharaf’s cabinet had resigned this week amid the protests. The US, long a bedrock supporter of Egypt’s military, called on the generals to step aside “as soon as possible” and give real power to the new cabinet “immediately”. The military rulers say they are working on a transition of power, including parliamentary elections set for Monday, which could be overshadowed if violence continues. Some protesters say the army cannot be trusted to hold a clean vote. Speaking to Reuters by telephone, Ganzouri declined to reveal details of his new cabinet. “Everything will be outlined later,” he said. After his appointment was confirmed, crowds in Tahrir chanted: “They brought a thief and appointed another thief”, referring to Sharaf and Ganzouri. “Say without fear: the (army) council must leave,” they shouted. Activists sought to bring a million people into the streets of Cairo on what they dubbed “the Friday of the last chance”. Thousands flooded into Tahrir Square for prayers, where Sheikh Mazhar Shahin told worshippers the protest would go on until Egypt had a new salvation government. “We are all for the revolution and stand steadfast for the demands of the revolution. There is no conflict between us and the army,” the cleric said in an address over loudspeakers. — Reuters
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Syria yet to agree to Arab deal Cairo: A deadline set by the Arab League for Syria to sign a deal allowing monitors into the country expired on Friday without Syria's agreement, bringing the Arab body closer to imposing sanctions on Damascus over its crackdown on dissidents.
Arab foreign ministers had said in Cairo on Thursday that unless Syria agreed to let the monitors in to assess progress of an Arab League plan to end eight months of internal bloodshed, officials would consider imposing sanctions on Saturday. The deadline expired on Friday without Syria's signature, an Arab League official said on condition of anonymity. Another official said the League would still consider an answer from Damascus presented by the end of Friday. "The deadline has already ended, but the Arab League leaves the door open for Syria to reply by the end of the day and if a positive Syrian response comes on Friday, then the Arab League has no objection to agreeing to it," the official said. Arab League officials are due to convene again on Saturday to consider sanctions if Damascus does not sign the agreement. — Reuters
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Clashes rock Yemen capital despite deal
Sanaa, November 25 Dissident troops from the First Armoured Brigade led by General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar exchanged mortar and machinegun fire in the early hours with forces of the central security services commanded by Saleh’s nephew Yehya, residents said. The clashes erupted outside the residence of Vice-President Abrabuh Mansur Hadi, who is to assume Saleh’s powers under the Gulf-brokered transition deal which the veteran strongman signed on Wednesday. The fighting, which spread to the heart of the capital, lasted more than two hours. There was no immediate word on any casualties. Tensions soared in the Al-Hasaba neighbourhood of north Sanaa, scene of months of sporadic fighting between security forces and dissident tribesmen, as rival gunmen set up roadblocks across the area. — AFP
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Jaish, JuD hold rally against India in PoK Islamabad, November 25 JuD leader Abdul Aziz Alvi, who was briefly detained by Pakistani authorities in the aftermath of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, told the protestors: “We will never accept this decision”. The rally was held in the main square of PoK capital Muzaffarabad. Today’s rally comes a day after similar protest was organised in Lahore yesterday. At the rally in PoK, the protesters, mostly members of the LeT, JeM, JuD and Jamaat-e-Islami, shouted slogans against the Pakistan government and India. They were joined by supporters of the main opposition PML-N party. The protesters later blocked the main road in the centre of Muzaffarabad by burning tyres. Pakistan’s cabinet last month said it had approved a proposal to normalise trade ties with India. Officials have said the process will eventually lead to the granting of Most Favoured Nation status to India. The JuD, declared a front for the LeT by the UN Security Council, has been spearheading protests against the move to give India MFN-status. — PTI
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No talks with armed Taliban, says Malik
Islamabad, November 25 Any move by the Taliban to end its war voluntarily will be welcomed, Malik said while speaking to reporters along with British Home Secretary Theresa May at the Police Lines Headquarters here. Malik asked the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan to surrender their weapons and to refrain from "playing into the hands of the enemy". Pakistan had suffered losses of billions of dollars in its war against terror and the international community should realise this war was being fought to protect the world from the ravages of terrorism, he said. Earlier, Malik and May met the families of victims of terrorism. — PTI
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of Egyptians demanding an end to military rule converged on Cairo’s Tahrir square today in what activists say will be the biggest day yet in a week of demonstrations in which 41 persons have been killed.
Sanaa, November 25
Hundreds of members of banned extremist and terror groups, including Jaish-e-Mohammed and Jamaat-ud-Dawah, joined a rally in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir today to protest the government’s move to normalise trade ties with India.
slamabad, November 25
