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Egypt soccer riot turns heat on army
Gilani promises to respect SC verdict in contempt case
US tycoon Trump endorses Romney
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Facing driving offence charge, top UK minister Huhne quits
Indian-American on Time cover
Indian-origin student alleges racial bias
at Harvard
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Egypt soccer riot turns heat on army
Cairo, February 3 As the anger over the incident combined with frustration at the pace of reforms grew, protesters gathered on the streets of Egypt’s capital Cairo, amid calls for more rallies over the deaths of 74 fans at a football match, on Wednesday. The authorities have sealed off streets in the capital, and widespread protests are expected after Friday prayers. Hundreds were injured in clashes between security forces and protesters across the country yesterday. The unrest has now spread across the country, and two people were shot dead in Suez as a crowd of hundreds attempted to overrun a police station, the BBC reported. One person was killed in Cairo after a clash with the police, near the Interior Ministry as thousands gathered to demonstrate. Many Egyptians blame the police for causing the football riot, in the northern city of Port Said. Most of the dead were believed to be supporters of Cairo’s al-Ahly team, who were attacked after losing a match to Port Said side al-Masry. A group of hard-core al-Ahly fans known as the “ultras” have accused the authorities of allowing the killings to happen. They say the authorities wanted revenge because the “ultras” were among those battling the police during last year’s revolution that ousted strongman ruler Hosni Mubarak. Many are criticising the police for allowing weapons into the stadium, not doing more to intervene and not deploying in sufficient numbers. In Cairo, protesters are planning several marches across the city. There will also be special funeral prayers at Tahrir Square for those who died at the football match. State media reported that 388 protesters were injured. Some 54 police officers and soldiers were also reported injured. Protesters told BBC that many middle-ranking officers loyal to Mubarak were still in charge and were “conspiring against revolution”. The government has dismissed several senior officials in response to the football deaths. Port Said’s director of security and the head of investigations were suspended and are now in custody.
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News Analysis Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s has responded gracefully to the Supreme Court decision for personal appearance on February 13 to be formally charged for contempt of court. He has promised to respect the court order and bow to the rule of law, even though it has created a unique situation in country’s history where an elected chief executive faces such indictment. Ironically, this new crisis for his government has erupted just while it appeared that tensions looming large over national political landscape had begun to fade out. These include the potentially dangerous institutional spats over memo scam among the executive, judiciary and the armed forces distracting attention away from much more grave issues. The latest development has serious implications not just for the PM or the future of his government, but the overall political and constitutional situation. There was always an element of inevitability of the ultimate court conclusion that appeared on Thursday. The 7-member bench was constituted to rule over the compliance or otherwise of the earlier order passed by 17 judges in the NRO case in December 2009. The simple issue at hand was that the Chief Executive was required to write a letter to Swiss authorities that an earlier communication by former Attorney-General Qayyum Malik withdrawing the money laundering case against President Zardari was unauthorised. The legal and political implications of such a letter involved wider issue of presidential immunity and national image abroad that the PM could not ignore. He was torn between party loyalty and his assessment of the constitutional position based on the advice given by legal aides that led to his defiance of the court order. On its part, the SC bench had no other option but to frame charges because the PM was still adamant he would not write the required letter. In Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, the PM had chosen the best possible defence counsel available who responded to the call of political affiliation and professional obligation, knowing well that he was fighting a losing battle. In a way he had put his own image and professional standing on line. It is yet to be seen whether Gilani chooses to let himself be convicted and disqualified or contest the contempt charge. The court may take a lenient view if he apologises but he would nevertheless have to send the letter. The other option of fighting it out would involve protracted legal battle and prolong national agony on an issue that could have been resolved amicably, sparing the country from being bogged down unnecessarily.
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US tycoon Trump endorses Romney Washington, February 3 "You look at what's going on with China, you look at what's going on with the other OPEC nations and how they are absolutely destroying this country, and you are the only one who talks about it," Trump told reporters in Las Vegas. "So that was very important to me. I thought he did very well in the debates, that was very important... I think if he debates that well, I don't think Obama will fare well against him," Trump said while endorsing Romney standing next to him. "Mitt is tough, he's smart, he's sharp, he's not going to allow bad things to continue to happen to this country that we all love ... So Governor Romney, go out and get them, you can do it," the reality TV star said making the announcement. Trump's endorsement of Romney came after a day of speculation in which news reports said he would endorse Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of House of Representatives. "Donald Trump's endorsement of me today sends a strong signal that he believes we have the best chance to make President Obama a one-term president," Romney said. The White House tried to make a light of the Trump's endorsement. — PTI
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Facing driving offence charge, top UK minister Huhne quits London, February 3 The speeding offence was committed on March 12, 2003, when Huhne was driving back from Stansted airport to his home in Essex. Since he already had penalty points on his driving licence from previous offences, he would have faced a driving ban had any further penalties been imposed. The Essex police have been investigating whether Huhne asked his ex-wife, economist Vicky Pryce, to take the points on her licence on his behalf, so that he does not lose his driving licence. Huhne had denied the charges. As per rules, if a driver accumulates 12 penalty points, the licence is revoked. — PTI
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Washington, February 3 "This man is busting Wall Street" Bharar's picture appeared in the latest edition of the Time yesterday, the day on which he announced to have taken action against one of the oldest Swiss banks for having evaded US taxes and helping in flight of US money. Currently US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Ferozepur-born Bharara is engaged in a number of corruption cases, including the one of insider trading against that of Gupta, McKinsey ex-head and a former Goldman Sachs director. — PTI
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Indian-origin student alleges racial bias at Harvard Washington, February 3 The unnamed Indian-American student, who was among the top students in his California high school class and whose family originally came from India filed the complaints against the two institutions. Acting on the complaint, the US Education Department is probing whether the Harvard and Princeton Universities discriminate against Asian-Americans in undergraduate admissions, Bloomberg reported. The department’s Office for Civil Rights is investigating a complaint it received in August that Harvard rejected an Asian-American candidate for the current freshman class based on race or national origin, a department spokesman said. The agency is looking into a similar August 2011 allegation against Princeton as part of a review begun in 2008 of that school’s handling of Asian-American candidates, said the spokesman, who declined to be identified, citing department policy. The new complaints, along with a case appealed last September to the US Supreme Court challenging preferences for blacks and Hispanics in college admissions, may stir up the longstanding debate about whether elite universities discriminate against Asian-Americans, the nation’s fastest- growing and most affluent racial category, the report said. — PTI
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Egyptian pro-democracy protesters today demanded the ouster of military rulers over the deaths of 74 football fans in the country’s worst soccer
violence
Celebrated real-estate magnet Donald Trump has endorsed front-runner Mitt Romney for the Republican Party's presidential nomination.
London, February 3 
Indian-American attorney Preet Bharara, the man who is “busting Wall Street” and taking down some of the financial world's prominent figures, including India Inc poster boy Rajat Gupta, has made to the cover of the prestigious Time Magazine for his anti-corruption crusade.