Global News Post: Democracy

Democracy Never Achieved By Guns - Iranian President

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">BALI,
Indonesia  (NNN-IRNA) -- President of
Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said that democracy will be established only
through global commitment to justice and freedom, saying it will never comes
out of guns.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Addressing
the fifth annual Bali Democracy Forum here on Thursday, the president described
democracy as the latest human achievement that can be directed to
administration of justice throughout the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In
a real democratic government, he said, the governors should move towards
justice and freedom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He
then referred to occupation of Palestinian lands and said it is the obvious
example of colonialism and blatant violation of human rights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Massacre
of innocent people in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Iraq</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Afghanistan</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:place></st1:country-region> as well as broad
suppression of freedom and legitimate rights of nations along with terrorism
and establishment of military and intelligence bases of big powers aimed at
imposing backwardness on other nations is among other examples of colonial
approaches and violation of rights of nations, the president reiterated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Condemning
production and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction such as nuclear
bombs, he said such moves that threaten lives of world nations are other
examples of human rights violations. -- NNN-IRNA<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Democracy Never Achieved By Guns - Iranian President

BALI, Indonesia (NNN-IRNA) -- President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said that democracy will be established only through global co...

Show of Shows: Pageant of American Democracy Hits Feverish Climax

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">By
Christopher Boian  <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">WASHINGTON
(RIA Novosti) – Magnanimous and archaic, visionary and impure, enthralling in
its promise but noisy, bewildering and illusory in its delivery: The chaotic
pageant that is American democracy hits its fevered climax Tuesday with
selection of a leader who can plausibly claim to have obtained the consent of
the governed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
current occupant of the White House, President Barack Obama of the Democratic
Party, hopes he will be given another four-year term to “finish what we
started” in 2008. His main rival, Republican Party nominee Mitt Romney, says
Obama has made a colossal mess at home and around the world that only a new
leader – such as him – knows how to clean up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">There
are four other candidates on the ballot in most states too – Jill Stein of the
Green Party, Gary Johnson of the Libertarian Party, Virgil Goode of the
Constitution Party and Rocky Anderson of the Justice Party.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">But
apart from Stein, who has been arrested twice in recent weeks – once in a
protest at her exclusion from a presidential debate in New York and again at a
protest in Texas over controversial plans to build a new oil pipeline – these
challengers have received next to zero national media attention and are
generally considered to have no chance of winning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">On
Tuesday, tens of millions of voters in the 50 <st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region>
states and the country’s capital, the <st1:state w:st="on">District of Columbia</st1:state>,
will make their way to thousands of polling places across the country to push
computer buttons or mark paper ballots and express their will of who they would
like to see designated the official leader of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">At
the same time, a little more than half of the approximately 207 million
eligible <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region></st1:place>
voters will make choices on numerous other ballot questions ranging from
electing legislators and judges to deciding if marijuana and same-sex marriage
should be legal and if rich corporations should be permitted to spend unlimited
amounts of their money to support particular candidates.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
undertaking appears enormous and the stakes are, in theory at least, high, not
just for Americans. At issue are questions of public policy, governance and
personality, but also of national character, morality, societal values and even
basic dilemmas of the human condition today that will color future discussion
within the United States but also far beyond US shores.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
real question is not whether the selection of a <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region></st1:place> leader today and the host of
other issues Americans will confront on Tuesday are important, but rather: Is
the bewildering, wooly American electoral process truly what it purports to be
-- government of the people, by the people and for the people?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Champions
of the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region>
political system that will reach another apogee on Tuesday argue that, at the
very least, it offers wide and fertile ground for the unrestricted public
airing of all manner of ideas. Critics however assert that it does nothing of
the kind and, in fact, even actively discourages truly free thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Essentially,
the election is a method of marginalizing the population,” Noam Chomsky, the
political activist, writer and linguistics professor at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology noted for his outspoken liberal views, wrote of the US
political system ahead of the 2004 US presidential election that pitted
Republican incumbent George W. Bush against his Democratic adversary, John
Kerry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“A
huge propaganda campaign is mounted to get people to focus on these
personalized quadrennial extravaganzas and to think, ‘that’s politics’. But it
isn’t. It’s only a small part of politics,” Chomsky wrote in an article
published in the Dubai-based Khaleej Times daily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Other
critics point to features of the US presidential election system such as the
preponderant role of private finance, supervision of the voting process by
partisan officials, inadequate public campaign funding and the electoral
college voting system as just a few of the elements that conspire to keep the
people at as far a distance as possible from genuine political participation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The
political class fears a truly engaged citizenry,” political commentator Steven
Rosenfeld wrote last month in an article published on the salon.com and
alternet.org websites.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Anyone
who has looked at how elections are run outside the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region></st1:place> knows how backward key pillars
of our election system are. … Too much of the process doesn’t measure up to
21st-century standards.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Even
the live, nationally-televised, one-on-one debates between those determined to
be the “main” candidates – Obama and Romney had three in the past month – often
held up as proof of transparency in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region></st1:place> political process, are, critics
charge, really little more than a superficial side-show.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“It
is not really a debate but a glorified press conference,” commented one blogger
on the Open Salon platform. “Journalists hurl softball questions at the
candidates giving each the opportunity to regurgitate their perfectly rehearsed
sound bites.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
staunchest defenders of American democracy admit that the process does not
always protect the interests of all voters. But they argue that, despite a
litany of flaws ranging from wildly skewed voter registration lists in some
parts of the country to documented, serious problems in actually counting
votes; it remains the closest thing to allowing people to choose their leaders
themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
process that will crescendo on Tuesday is vulnerable to cheating and
oppression, riven with flaws and injustices, complicated, often opaque and
confusing for many. But, its proponents say, it works.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Obama
and Romney are presenting clear and contrasting visions of the future. That
debate may get raucous, even shrill and angry. Nonetheless, on Nov. 7, one
candidate will concede and the other will govern,” said Terrence Casey,
political science professor at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Indiana</st1:state></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“This
is the essence of politics — free men and women collectively resolving our
great questions through deliberation and debate. It is how divided societies
like ours rule themselves without undue violence.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Show of Shows: Pageant of American Democracy Hits Feverish Climax

By Christopher Boian WASHINGTON (RIA Novosti) – Magnanimous and archaic, visionary and impure, enthralling in its promise but noi...

Kofi Annan Commission Criticizes Financing of US Elections

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">By Selah Hennessy<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJfpu3MEZ3EzNa4IXQFsHk5yduMm6gz80nsCTNUxBGCkZ1BaHU_frttk53kiD56kuti_C1eFn_N6IDrsb7JmlRIe2P9rTle3ihriGQxmjyKFU4jQZq_xSRz-inCRNwpBPCkHg3Xl1LRA/s1600/usaVotes2012_480x75_noVOA.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJfpu3MEZ3EzNa4IXQFsHk5yduMm6gz80nsCTNUxBGCkZ1BaHU_frttk53kiD56kuti_C1eFn_N6IDrsb7JmlRIe2P9rTle3ihriGQxmjyKFU4jQZq_xSRz-inCRNwpBPCkHg3Xl1LRA/s320/usaVotes2012_480x75_noVOA.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 8px; line-height: 9px;">Photo © VOA News</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">LONDON (VOA News)--- A commission headed by former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan charges that the soaring cost of U.S. elections is a major hindrance to democracy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>The charge appears in a report published Friday by the Global Commission on Elections and Democracy, which says its goal, is to promote the integrity of elections.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan spoke to VOA at the launch of the report in London.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">He says each nation must develop an election framework that suits its needs.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"There are certain fundamental issues or fundamental requirements, which each country should try to respect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Beyond that they know their society better, they know their environment better and they may come up with approaches that work for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>You cannot expect everyone to solve the same problems the same way," Annan said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">In the report published Friday, the commission laid out what it sees as prerequisites for elections to take place with "integrity."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The 12-member commission includes former U.S. secretary of state Madeleine Albright and former secretary general of the Council of the European Union, Javier Solana.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Also on the panel is Vidar Helgesen, head of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"The world has seen over the last 20 years a considerable rise of democracy and correspondingly a considerable rise in the number of elections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>But we have also seen that while governments and the international community has gotten better at organizing elections, authoritarian leaders have also become better at rigging elections and they do that in more advanced ways," Helgesen said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The report says there are five major challenges that must be overcome for elections to have integrity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>They include an effective rule of law; strong, impartial electoral management bodies to oversee the vote; and regulated political financing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Helgesen singles out the United States as a country where, he says, uncontrolled political financing is a problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>He says soaring costs are undermining citizens' trust in their system.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"The American people through credible opinion polls have indicated that the problem is on the rise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Two-thirds of the American people say that their trust in the political system has been weakened by the recent developments in political financing - the Super PACS. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Even more people think that politicians can more easily become corrupted and Congress is to a large extent representing special interests rather than the holistic interests of society," Helgesen said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Spending in the U.S. has been boosted by a 2010 Supreme Court ruling that effectively scrapped limits on corporate and union spending in elections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Now Super PACs, or political action committees, and tax-exempt advocacy groups can support candidates without a cap on spending, as long as they do not coordinate with official campaigns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Those in the U.S. who advocate increased spending on elections say it helps promote democracy.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Paul Sherman is an attorney at the Institute for Justice, a libertarian law firm based in the United States.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>He says high campaign spending means a more informed electorate.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"By having reduced regulations on campaign finance it makes it easier for more different types of voices to get in so we don't have a political debate that is dominated entirely by the central parties themselves," Sherman said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The Global Commission on Elections, Democracy and Security is an international initiative aimed at promoting the integrity of elections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>It was launched in South Africa last year.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Funding for the report came from the Kofi Annan Foundation, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, along with the governments of Australia, the Netherlands, and Norway.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Kofi Annan Commission Criticizes Financing of US Elections

By Selah Hennessy Photo © VOA News LONDON (VOA News)--- A commission headed by former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan charg...

SOMALIA: TFG President, PM Turns Rival as Both Running for Presidency

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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">AN NNN-GAROWE ANALYSIS<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">MOGADISHU (NNN-Garowe) -- Transitional Federal Government (TFG) President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas reportedly have not seen eye to eye lately as both politicians have announced they are running for President.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The TFG under President Sharif for most of its tenure was a government barely controlling any districts in Mogadishu but since Al Shabaab’s exit of Mogadishu last year, the city has seen significant advancement in terms of security and development, albeit it still has a great deal to go. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Gaas who was appointed last year played an intricate role with the support of quasi-independent regions in turning the Somalia political process into an all inclusive federal states’ process. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sharif and Gaas to a large number of Mogadishu residents have been a dynamic force – hero like after both survived assassination attempts - that has given the war-torn capital some hope.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Despite setbacks and accusations of corruption, the TFG with the support of other regions such as Puntland, Galmudug and Ahlu Sunnah group have ratified a constitution and are less than two weeks away from a permanent government. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">However, things are changing for the super hero tandem as elections draw close, according to inside sources the beef between the two could threaten the political process. Although highly unlikely because of the huge amount of resources and time invested in ending this political process on schedule. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Gaas publicly announced on Tuesday that he is running for President of Somalia as the transitional government will come to an end Aug 20.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">According to inside sources after his announcement, Sharif was distraught at his Prime Minister’s decision to run for office.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Unconfirmed reports say that Sharif and Gaas met with officials from the international community on Wednesday for hours, to discuss an unprecedented move by Sharif to reshuffle the TFG at this critical juncture.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Even though there are 11 days left in the current government, the move by Sharif would have dismissed Gaas and many other top officials of their positions. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">At the Nairobi meeting earlier this week Sharif walked out of the talks between signatories reportedly annoyed by Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole and Gaas’ delay.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">According to inside sources, Sharif was upset that the two leaders met alone and had delayed the signatories meeting for 30 minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sources close to Gaas said that Sharif was also made evident of the fact that his Prime Minister was running for Presidency leading up to the Nairobi meeting earlier this week, a popular rumor circulating for months which was unconfirmed until Tuesday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A popular Prime Minister, Gaas is a worthy contender for the Presidency which could threaten Sharif’s chances of making a return.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The two candidates along with Speaker of Parliament Sharif Hassan Sharif Adan and former Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo are among the most experienced, however their political CV’s have been blemished by a report by the Somalia Eritrea Monitoring Group which accused the politicians of different scales of corruption while in office. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The report which was leaked very close to the presidential elections will have an indeterminate impact on the presidential elections. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As the dynamic duo will divorce in 11 days it will be extremely exciting to watch as a new Somali President will emerge. -- NNN-GAROWE<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

SOMALIA: TFG President, PM Turns Rival as Both Running for Presidency

AN NNN-GAROWE ANALYSIS MOGADISHU (NNN-Garowe) -- Transitional Federal Government (TFG) President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Prime Minister A...

INDIA: Voting Ends for Next President

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI6DGtpTi6juTUZwyBCid9m9fSVf8m3UKiAFkmyM8dEjVj139Y50fY3xWmnJGnmSHlhtDhexF6Wj-zO-b_L0hvvj9-WvVR5g97XB2j_4JMldVd_NifgOtOKu91YFgIMqc7zFqqoOys6xw/s1600/2012071915354855.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI6DGtpTi6juTUZwyBCid9m9fSVf8m3UKiAFkmyM8dEjVj139Y50fY3xWmnJGnmSHlhtDhexF6Wj-zO-b_L0hvvj9-WvVR5g97XB2j_4JMldVd_NifgOtOKu91YFgIMqc7zFqqoOys6xw/s640/2012071915354855.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee casts his vote with India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President of the ruling coalition Indian National Congress Party Sonia Gandhi in Parliament House, New Delhi, India on 19 July 2012. Photo courtesy ndtv---NNN</span></td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">NEW DELHI (NNN-AGENCIES) -- Pranab Mukherjee, with tilak on his forehead, looked confident as he voted for the next President of India on Thursday morning. By his side, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi too voted for their candidate, who is all set to move into Rashtrapati Bhavan soon. Mrs Gandhi said as much</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">That confidence is supported by numbers, say Mukherjee's poll managers - they expect almost 65 per cent of the Electoral College to vote for him in the Presidential elections being held Thursday</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Over 4,000 legislators - in Parliament and in state assemblies - had voted till polling ended at 5 pm. Each of them listed their preference on a ballot paper - Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) weren't used. Out of the 699 MPs in Parliament, 21 abstained. These include lawmakers from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">)</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The ruling UPA has worked hard to gather together the support of its allies, friends and even some opposition parties to support Mukherjee. In that 65 per cent that Mukherjee is expected to poll, is the vote of the YSR Congress, otherwise daggers drawn with the Congress in Andhra Pradesh; Jagan Mohan Reddy left jail for a short while this morning to vote for Mukherjee at the Hyderabad Assembly</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Andhra Pradesh watchers are waiting to see if this surprise move will mean a thawing of relations with the Congress in the days to come</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In Kolkata, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee voted too. For Pranab Mukherjee. In a last-minute flourish she declared on Monday that her party's 50,000 votes would be cast in favour of Mukherjee after all. Ms Banerjee made it clear that she was doing so reluctantly and that it hurt her to vote for Mukherjee</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">They are both tall Bengal leaders who have not shared the best equation for years now. Mukherjee will not look a gift horse in the mouth - Ms Banerjee's reluctance cannot take away from the fact that she has added a welcome 4.3 per cent to Mr Mukherjee's swelling total</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Besides the Congress and now all its allies, four supporting parties, the Samajwadi Party (SP), the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Lalu Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Janata Dal (Secular) have said they will vote for Mukherjee. The expected victory is made sweeter by the support of key BJP ally the Janata Dal (United), the Shiv Sena and also two Left parties - the CPI (M) and the Forward Bloc</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Mulayam Singh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party reportedly almost reneged on his promise to Mukherjee. While voting today, he is believed to have ticked Purno Sangma's name. He reportedly caught his mistake in time, tore the ballot paper and voted afresh</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Purno Sangma is Mukherjee's opponent in today's election. He is backed by the BJP-led NDA along with other parties, has not let his smile or confidence flag despite being the decided underdog. He has campaigned in the last month with as much rigour as did Mukherjee</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The latter, having shed political affinity once he resigned as Finance Minister and from primary membership of the Congress party, pulled out all stops to cash in the chips that he had collected through years of being the Congress' chief troubleshooter - a job that entailed fostering the best relations with political friends and foes alike</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">To contest, Sangma cut away from his party, the NCP, which as a UPA ally will vote for Mukherjee. He has played the tribal card, suggesting that a tribal become President for the first time. He has the support of most of the NDA, Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Jayalalithaa's AIADMK. All that support adds up to about 35 per cent of the Electoral College</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">For those who came in late, the Electoral College is made up of all MPs and MLAs in the country - those 4,896 lawmakers who are voting today. Each MLA vote has a designated value depending on which state he or she belongs to. All MP votes have a value of 708. The total value of MP votes is 5, 49,408 and the total value of all MLA votes, across India, is 5, 49,474. A total 10.98 lakh votes. To win, a candidate needs 50 per cent or 549,442 votes if every legislator votes</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">India has had 12 Presidents, Pratibha Patil is the 12th. She is also the first woman President. Rajendra Prasad became the first President of India on Jan 26, 1950</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">For trivia lovers, the Rashtrapati Bhavan is the largest Presidential palace in the world. The President's official car is a custom-built heavily armoured Mercedes Benz S600 (W221) Pullman Guard. And the President earns a salary of Rs. 1.5 lakh a month. -- NNN-AGENCIES<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

INDIA: Voting Ends for Next President

Presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee casts his vote with India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President of the ruling coalition Indi...

INDIA: Vice President Files Nomination Papers for Second Term in Office

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWnDTvcEbYqkWJ5JhQCP5H85E5rP-ez28BS6ln_6bt-yRLGtNbnFdJOR68ejqgLtZoCXltbwHOl_wxLwtS7gTmJrGkJUbOnTK3gFI39fKimINQ7aiyXBTpkxFFq3ts9AZNOqIHgpuA_tI/s1600/l2012071841410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWnDTvcEbYqkWJ5JhQCP5H85E5rP-ez28BS6ln_6bt-yRLGtNbnFdJOR68ejqgLtZoCXltbwHOl_wxLwtS7gTmJrGkJUbOnTK3gFI39fKimINQ7aiyXBTpkxFFq3ts9AZNOqIHgpuA_tI/s400/l2012071841410.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Mohd. Hamid Ansari filing the nomination papers for the<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Vice Presidential Election, in the presence of the Prime Minister,<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Chairperson, National Advisory Council,<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Smt. Sonia Gandhi and other dignitaries, at Parliament,<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">in New Delhi on July 18, 2012. Photo © PIB<o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">NEW DELHI, India (NNN-Xinhua) -- Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari Wednesday filed his nomination papers to contest the vice- presidential polls to be held in August, days after the country's ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) named him as their nominee.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The 75-year-old former diplomat filed his nomination papers before Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament) secretary general T.K. Vishwanathan, who is the returning officer for the August 7 poll. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and leaders of the ruling coalition's allies were present during the occasion.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"I am very grateful to all the leaders who have come here to attend this function, for supporting my nomination and for sponsoring me," he told the media, after filing his papers in the national capital.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Prime Minister added: "We are all very delighted that there is such a massive support for renomination of Hamid Ansari for the August office of Vice President."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The country's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance has fielded their senior leader the former Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh in the vice presidential poll.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Experts say that Ansari is likely to win as the numbers are in his favour.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Some 790 members of both Houses of Parliament -- the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) -- comprise the Electoral College.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">If elected, Ansari will become the second person in Indian history to get a second consecutive five-year term in office. --NNN-XINHUA<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

INDIA: Vice President Files Nomination Papers for Second Term in Office

Mohd. Hamid Ansari filing the nomination papers for the Vice Presidential Election, in the presence of the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Si...

Clinton Stresses Rights, Democracy during Egypt Visit

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stressed the importance of protecting the rights of all Egyptians, including women and religious minorities, during her visit to Cairo Sunday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Ahead of a meeting with women, business, and civil society leaders, Clinton said the United States believes “a strong, durable democracy that respects the rule of law and protects the rights of all is the best way forward for Egypt.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Earlier Sunday, she met with Egypt's top military commander Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The secretary met on Saturday with newly-inaugurated President Mohamed Morsi, an Islamist who has uneasy relations with the military. ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Clinton Stresses Rights, Democracy during Egypt Visit

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stressed the importance of protecting the rights of all Egyptians, including women and religious ...

Islamic Scholar See Tensions in Egypt on the Rise

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">By Peter Clottey<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">An Islamic scholar has warned Egyptians will soon witness a series of confrontations between President Mohammed Morsi and the Military Council after the new leader ordered the dissolved Islamist-led parliament to reconvene.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tawfik Hamid, senior fellow and chair for the Study of Islamic Radicalism at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, said Morsi’s decree will sharply increase tension in Egypt.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Morsi’s order sharply contravenes the military's dismissal of the assembly based on last month’s Supreme Court ruling.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span dir="LTR"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span dir="LTR"></span>“It’s the beginning of a serious confrontation and the situation is very volatile now because the military will not allow this to happen,” said Hamid. “It’s a serious issue because the decision of dissolving the parliament was not the decision of the military.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Morsi issued a decree Sunday ordering lawmakers to start meeting again.  He also ordered that new parliamentary elections will be held within 60 days of the adoption of Egypt's new constitution.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Many of the new lawmakers were from the once-banned Muslim Brotherhood, the political movement that the new Egyptian leader quit after taking office.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The country’s Supreme Constitutional Court ordered the parliament dissolved after finding fault with the election process.  The then-ruling military generals implemented the decision and gave themselves legislative powers in the absence of parliament.                              </span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hamid said observers did not anticipate the confrontation between the president and the military council to begin so soon following Morsi’s recent victory in the presidential run-off vote. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span dir="LTR"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span dir="LTR"></span>“This was expected, but not to happen within just a few days of his presidency.  So, it just happened prematurely for many who were expecting the confrontation coming between the military and the Muslim Brotherhood and Morsi.  But, really, the decision was relatively fast,” said Hamid.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hamid said there has been mixed reaction from top officials of the Military Council.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span dir="LTR"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span dir="LTR"></span>“A general in the [army] said the decision of Morsi is completely against the constitution and it will give the military the right and the military has the right to intervene to protect the Egyptian constitution and law,” said Hamid.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span dir="LTR"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span dir="LTR"></span>“Another general said we will not probably respond as the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, but we will wait for the decision of the Supreme Constitutional Court,” he added.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The court is reportedly holding an emergency meeting following Morsi’s decree.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span dir="LTR"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span dir="LTR"></span>“This is a very serious issue because this is the first time in the history of the country that a president has turned down the decision of the Supreme Constitutional Court," said Hamid. "Even [Hosni] Mubarak himself on two occasions bowed to the decision of this court, when they decided to dissolve the Egyptian parliament a few years ago when Mubarak was president.”<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Islamic Scholar See Tensions in Egypt on the Rise

By Peter Clottey An Islamic scholar has warned Egyptians will soon witness a series of confrontations between President Mohammed Morsi an...

Egypt’s Morsi Orders Parliament to Reconvene

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Egypt's new president has ordered the country's Islamist-led parliament to reconvene, in defiance of the military's dismissal of the assembly based on last month's Supreme Court ruling.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">President Mohamed Morsi issued a decree Sunday ordering lawmakers to start meeting again. He also ordered that new parliamentary elections will be held within 60 days of the adoption of Egypt's new constitution.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The country's Supreme Constitutional Court ordered the parliament dissolved after finding fault with the election process. The then-ruling military generals implemented the decision and gave themselves legislative powers in the absence of parliament.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Many of the new lawmakers were from the once-banned Muslim Brotherhood, the political movement that President Morsi quit after taking office.---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Egypt’s Morsi Orders Parliament to Reconvene

Egypt's new president has ordered the country's Islamist-led parliament to reconvene, in defiance of the military's dismissal...

Libyans Hold Emotional Multi-Party Election, First in 60 Years

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">By Al Pessin<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">TRIPOLI, Libya -- Libyans went to the polls Saturday for the country's first multi-party election in 60 years. Midway through the day of voting, there no disruptions or major incidents. It was an emotional moment for people who have lived through 42 years of dictatorship and a bloody revolution.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Libyan drivers honked in celebration as they passed young revolutionary fighters guarding a key intersection. Just nine months ago, the young men were fighting the forces of Moammar Gaddhafi.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At a school in a working class neighborhood, women celebrated and showed off their ink-stained fingers, evidence that they had voted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Inside, in separate men's and women's voting rooms procedures were followed with precision and respect.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There are dozens of Islamist and relatively secular parties, and hundreds of independent candidates. Islamists are expected to do well, but 23-year-old recent university graduate Farah Moterdy said she would not be voting for them, fearing they would try to restrict women's rights.  <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“My heart is beating quickly," Moterdy said. "Yesterday I was crying when I see the pictures of the people who are in the election. Who will we choose of them? I don't know. We want to make the future for Libya. It depends on us. This is what I know. It depends on us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Businessman Suleiman Giornazi was also emotional, calling the election a fantastic achievement. He said he is not worried about ongoing conflicts in the countryside involving dissatisfied militias and tribes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Nothing bothers me," he said. "The only thing that bothers me is Gadhafi, and he's gone. And we will be all right. This is hiccups and doesn't mean nothing to us. We for sure will get over it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Voting went surprisingly smoothly after extensive training of Libyan election workers and observers. The head of the Shahed Network for Election Observing, Abdelkarim Mohammed Hassan, gave up his own chance to vote near his home in the east to help with the election in Tripoli.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“What I've seen here in Tripoli is great," said Hassan. "And also I have some contacts from my coordinators in different cities and towns in Libya. They are saying it's going great and it's going good. And I think we're going to pass this, Inshallah [God willing].”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nearly three million people registered to vote, about 80 per cent of those eligible. They are choosing among 1,400 candidates for 200 seats in a National Assembly that will form an interim government and write a new constitution. Voting was complicated, and the outcome will be decisive for Libya's future.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But on Saturday Libyans of all ages put their concerns aside and celebrated the simple but hard-fought triumph of their first post-revolution election day.</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Libyans Hold Emotional Multi-Party Election, First in 60 Years

By Al Pessin TRIPOLI, Libya -- Libyans went to the polls Saturday for the country's first multi-party election in 60 years. Midway th...

Morsi Sworn in As Egyptian President

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">CAIRO (NNN-Xinhua) -- Egyptian President-elect Mohamed Morsi on Saturday took his oath before the General Assembly of the Supreme Constitutional Court as the first president. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"I swear by almighty God that I will sincerely protect the republican order and that I fully respect the constitution and the rule of the law and completely take care of people's interests, preserve the nation's independency and safety of its lands," Morsi said at the ceremony. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He promised to lead "a modern, constitutional, national and civil country." <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"Egyptians today have established their new life with freedom," he said, adding that "Egypt has institutions with loyal people who know the meaning of respecting the constitution and the laws." <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Traditionally the Egyptian president takes the oath in the parliament, but Morsi was sworn in at the Supreme Constitutional Court as the parliament's islamist-dominated lower house has been dissolved by the court. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By agreeing to be sworn in at the Supreme Constitutional Court, "Morsi expressed his full respect for the public opinion," said Safwat el-Alem, professor of Cairo Mass Communications faculty. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Morsi also took a symbolic oath Friday evening before the crowds in Tahrir Square, the epicenter of last year's turmoil, to prove that he has a close relation to the ordinary people. His speech was spontaneous and expressed the mutual interaction, Alem added. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">His oath before the Supreme Constitutional Court was a good step to contain an expected crisis and implement the normal procedures and protocols in this regard, he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After the swear-in, the president then delivered a speech at Cairo University. In a three-floor auditorium, head of the supreme military council Hussein Tantawi, caretaker Prime Minister Kamal Ganzouri and former Arab League chief Amr Moussa were seated in the front row. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Morsi said the constitution will express the national reconciliation, based on right, justice and law. He stressed that "I'll govern out of being a servant for the nation hired by the people." <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He promised to support the common Arab work. "Egypt respects all the conventions and agreements," said Morsi, stressing his support to the Palestinian cause. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Morsi praised the role of the armed forces who fulfilled their promise not to be a substitute for the people's legitimacy. He extended thanks to the military institution for implementing their role. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"Now the great Egyptian army will go back to their mission which is protecting the nation's borders and preserving the armed forces strong in light of law and constitution," he added. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He noted that maintaining safety and national security of the country is related to the ability to preserve the armed forces. "The armed forces are the armor and sword of our nation." <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"We are in bad need of eliminating all the chaos in all fields, economy in particular, to make comprehensive social justice for all," he said, asking all to cooperate to encourage investments in all sectors and especially regain the role of tourism. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF), which has been ruling Egypt since the step-down of Mubarak, held a ceremony Saturday afternoon in Hikestep military base in east Cairo to officially hand power to Morsi. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">At the beginning of the ceremony, the SCAF staged a parade started with helicopters carrying the national flag and flags of the armed forces and flying across the base. The artillery fired a 21-gun salute, and chairman of the SCAF Tantawi presented the “armed forces armor" to the president. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In a speech at the ceremony, Tantawi said that "we (the army) fulfilled our promises to secure Egypt internally and internationally, in addition to make the democratic elections a successful one." <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In his speech after the hand-over, Morsi said that "on this unique day, the power of the country has been handed over from the armed forces according to the people's will to an elected civilian president." <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"With all appreciation, I accept this responsibility to be responsible for the armed forces, likewise any part of Egypt," said Morsi, adding that all kinds of support will be provided for this respectable institution and a special ceremony will be hold to honor the armed forces. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He repeated many times that "all Egyptians are one weft," in reference to all Muslims and Copts. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"Our experience will be an ideal to be learned by other countries," Morsi asserted. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In his Friday speech in Tahrir Square, Morsi said the people is the source of power and legitimacy, and told tens of thousands of supporters that no one and no institutions are above the will of the people. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Morsi has resigned from his post in the Muslim Brotherhood after the elections results were announced, to prove his promises to be a president for all Egyptians. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Morsi defeated his rival, former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq, in the presidential run-off held on June 16 and June 17. -- NNN-Xinhua<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Morsi Sworn in As Egyptian President

CAIRO (NNN-Xinhua) -- Egyptian President-elect Mohamed Morsi on Saturday took his oath before the General Assembly of the Supreme Constitu...

World Leaders React to Egypt's Election Results

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</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By Michael Lipin<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A sampling of international reaction to Egypt's announcement of Islamist Mohammed Morsi as the winner of the country's presidential election:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">UNITED STATES<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">White House statement: President Obama called Morsi to congratulate him. Mr. Obama underscored that the United States will continue to support Egypt’s transition to democracy and stand by the Egyptian people as they fulfill the promise of their revolution. He emphasized his interest in working with President-elect Morsi on the basis of mutual respect, to advance the many shared interests between Egypt and the United States. The two leaders affirmed their commitment to advancing the U.S.-Egypt partnership and agreed to stay in close touch in the weeks and months ahead.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">UNITED NATIONS<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">U.N. statement: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon congratulated Morsi on his election, saying he trusts that the president-elect will spare no effort in ensuring the people of Egypt realize their aspirations for greater democracy, the promotion of human rights, and a more prosperous and stable Egypt for all of its citizens. Mr. Ban noted that the imminent handover of power to the elected president marks the end of one important phase of Egypt’s ongoing transition to greater democracy. He stressed the need to strengthen and build strong, independent institutions and to allow civil society to flourish and to play its role fully and freely.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ISRAEL<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Benjamin Netanyahu statement: Israel honors the democratic process in Egypt and respects its results. Israel looks forward to continued cooperation with the Egyptian government on the basis of the peace agreement between the two countries that is an interest of both peoples and contributes to regional stability.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">HAMAS<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Gaza-based Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh to Reuters TV: "We will look to Egypt to play a big, leading role, a historic role, regarding the Palestinian cause, in helping the Palestinian nation get freedom, return home, and totally end the Gaza siege. I hope for Egypt to be united."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Palestinian Authority statement: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas congratulated Morsi in a telegram. Mr. Abbas wished him success in serving the Egyptian people and maintaining Egypt's achievements in promoting the Palestinian issue. He said the Palestinian Authority looks forward to working together in serving the interests of the two peoples who share strong bonds of brotherhood.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">IRAN<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Iran's foreign ministry issued a statement congratulating Morsi and saying his victory is part of an "Islamic Awakening" in the Middle East. It paid tribute to the "martyrs" of the Egyptian revolution and wished continued success to the Egyptian people, noting their "vibrant presence in the political and social arenas."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">BRITAIN<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">British Foreign Secretary William Hague's Twitter feed: The people of Egypt have elected a new president. I congratulate him and them on the result, and the peaceful process. I hope Egypt's new president will show early leadership on democratic and economic reforms, and rights of all Egyptian men and women.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">FRANCE<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">French presidency statement: President Francois Hollande congratulates Morsi, says it is important that the Egyptian transition that began in February 2011 continues so that a "democratic and pluralist political system can be established in Egypt, guaranteeing civil and political freedoms of all citizens and minorities." ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

World Leaders React to Egypt's Election Results

By Michael Lipin A sampling of international reaction to Egypt's announcement of Islamist Mohammed Morsi as the winner of the country...

Egyptians Celebrate Election of New President

Egyptians Celebrate Election of New President

Fireworks illuminate Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt as Egyptians gather to celebrate Mohammed Morsi's presidential win on 24 June 2012...