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Mursi faces judicial revolt over decree
Back to school in Gaza after Israel offensive
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7 killed, 30 injured in Pak blast
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Mursi faces judicial revolt over decree
Cairo, November 24 Judges in Alexandria, Egypt's second city, threatened to go on strike until it was revoked, and there were calls for the "downfall of the regime", the rallying cry in the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak, during a meeting of judges in Cairo. Mursi's opponents and supports, representing the divide between newly empowered Islamists and a more secular, minded opposition, have called rival demonstrations on Tuesday over his decree that has triggered concern in the West. Issued late on Thursday, it marks an effort by Mursi to consolidate his influence after he successfully sidelined Mubarak-era generals in August. It defends from judicial review decisions taken by Mursi until a new parliament is elected in a vote expected early next year. It also shields the Islamist-dominated assembly writing Egypt's new constitution from a raft of legal challenges that have threatened the body with dissolution, and offers the same protection to the Islamist-controlled upper house of parliament. Egypt's highest judicial authority, the Supreme Judicial Council, said the decree was an "unprecedented attack" on the independence of the judiciary. Youths clashed sporadically with police near Tahrir Square, the epicentre of the uprising that toppled Mubarak in 2011, following Friday's violence in which more than 300 people were injured across Egypt. Activists camped out for a second day in the square, setting up makeshift barricades to keep out traffic. Liberal, leftist and socialist parties called a big protest for Tuesday to force Mursi to row back on a decree they say has exposed the autocratic impulses of a man once jailed by Mubarak. In a sign of the polarisation in the country, the Muslim Brotherhood, the group that propelled Mursi to power, called its own protests that day to support the president's decree. At least three Brotherhood offices were attacked on Friday. "We are facing a historic moment in which we either complete our revolution or we abandon it to become prey for a group that has put its narrow party interests above the national interest," the liberal Dustour Party said in a statement. Mursi also assigned himself new authority to sack the prosecutor general, a Mubarak hold over, and appoint a new one. — Reuters
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Back to school in Gaza after Israel offensive Gaza City, November 24 Israel carried out about 1,500 airstrikes against Hamas-linked targets in Gaza, while militants fired about as many rockets into Israel. The Gaza-based Palestinian Center for Human Rights said that 156 Palestinians were killed, including 33 children and minors under 18. Rockets from Gaza killed six Israelis. The group says most of more than 1,000 wounded Gazans were civilians. Dozens of Israelis were also hurt. Gaza's schools reopened today. Adnan Abu Hassna, spokesman for a UN aid agency, says tens of thousands of students at 245 UN-run schools spent the first day talking about their experiences during the fighting. Meanwhile, Israel eased restrictions on Gaza fishermen on Saturday, further implementing a three-day-old truce brokered by Egypt after a week of fierce fighting, Palestinian officials said. — Agencies
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7 killed, 30 injured in Pak blast
At least seven persons, including four children, were killed and 30 others injured on Saturday when a Shia procession was targeted with a powerful roadside bomb in Pakistan's restive northwest, the latest in a slew of attacks against the minority community during the Islamic month of Muharram. The bomb, hidden in a mound of garbage, went off as the procession from an imambargah (Shia prayer hall) on the outskirts of Dera Ismail Khan was on its way to the main procession in the city, witnesses and police officials said. Saturday marks the ninth of Muharram, a religious day holding special importance to the Shia community. Several religious processions were held across the country while the government claimed to have beefed up security in all cities deploying thousands of police and other security personnel. In sensitive areas, army's assistance was also sought in aid of civil administration. Police officials said the bomb contained an estimated 10 kg of explosives and ball bearings. Footage on television showed the walls of several houses had been pitted by the ball bearings.
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Japanese singer and actress Noriko Sakai during a news conference in Tokyo as she came back to the entertainment industry a day after she finished her three years on parole. Sakai was convicted of drug use in 2009. —
AP/PTI