This morning’s key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com

Egypt’s Morsi ‘appoints himself Pharaoh’ usurping all state powers


Mohamed Morsi (AP)

Many Egyptians were shocked on Thursday by the announcement,accompanied by nationalistic music, of a new decree by presidentMohamed Morsi granting himself extensive additional powers. Anydecisions that he took since taking office in June, and any decisionshe takes in the future, are final and not subject to review by thecourts or appeal. According to the announcement,

“The President may take the necessary actions andmeasures to protect the country and the goals of therevolution.”

In an attempt to be a crowd-pleaser, Morsi said that thepolice officers who were acquitted last year for killing protesterswill be retried.

According to opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei:

“Morsi today usurped all state powers & appointedhimself Egypt’s new pharaoh. A major blow to the revolution thatcould have dire consequences.”

The surprise announcement triggered competing demonstrations in Cairoby supporters and opponents of Morsi. Washington Post

Full text of Israel-Hamas cease-fire agreement

Here is the full text of the agreement that the two sidessigned on Wednesday:

“Understanding Regarding Ceasefire in Gaza Strip

1. a. Israel should stop all hostilities in the Gaza Strip land,sea and air including incursions and targeting of individuals.

b. All Palestinian factions shall stop all hostilities from theGaza Strip against Israel including rocket attacks and all attacksalong the border.

c. Opening the crossings and facilitating the movements of peopleand transfer of goods and refraining from restricting residents’free movements and targeting residents in border areas andprocedures of implementation shall be dealt with after 24 hoursfrom the start of the ceasefire.

d. Other matters as may be requested shall be addressed.

2. Implementation Mechanism:

a. Setting up the zero hour for the ceasefire understanding toenter into effect.

b. Egypt shall receive assurances from each party that the partycommits to what was agreed upon.

c. Each party shall commit itself not to perform any acts thatwould breach this understanding. In case of any observations Egyptas the sponsor of this understanding shall be informed to followup.”

Washington Post

For Gaza, ‘Opening the crossings’ remains a problem

Hamas’s principal objective in the negotiations was to get theblockade of Gaza lifted, something that’s been strongly opposed byIsrael because it would allow the free importation of weapons intoGaza. The cease-fire agreement says that “Opening the crossings… shall be dealt with after 24 hours from the start of theceasefire.”

Israel was in a no-win situation in the latest Gaza conflict. In theend, they signed a peace agreement in the hope that because their airstrikes had been successful in destroying thousands of Gaza rocketsand missiles, there would at least be a period of many months beforeHamas weapons stores could be resupplied. That’s what happened afterthe 2008 war, but at that time Hosni Mubarak was president of Egypt,and the crossings into Egypt were more tightly controlled.

Today it’s thought that Hamas would be resupplied more quickly.Israel’s air strikes destroyed some 140 tunnels between Gaza andEgypt, tunnels that were used to smuggle food, fuel, medicines,building materials, and weapons. But now workers are out rebuildingthe tunnels, although they claim that none of the tunnels they work onare used for smuggling weapons. Reuters

As Greece’s economy unravels, suicides and attacks on immigrants soar

Greece’s household income dropped by 15% in the second quarter of2012, while taxes rose 37%. Unemployment is at 25%, 58% for youngadults. Greece’s suicide rate has soared 37% from 2009-2011. Theneo-Nazi Golden Dawn party appears to be gaining strength in Greece asa “hope and change” party. Golden Dawn is starting to take control ofgovernment services, providing food for the needy, but never fornon-Greeks, even legal residents. There have been repeated incidentsof Golden Dawn violence against immigrants and their markets. Fear isgrowing that a replay of 1930s Germany is occurring in Greece.AnsaMed and Christian Mission and Spiegel (August)

Pakistan twin Taliban bombings kill 37 Shia Muslim worshipers

Pakistan’s Taliban terrorists (Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan – TTP)claimed responsibility for twin bomb attacks on Wednesday targetingShia Muslims, killing 37 people and wounding dozens more. Accordingto a TTP spokesman:

“We carried out the attacks in Rawalpindi and Karachibecause the Shia community is engaged in defiling theProphet.”

This refers to the commemoration of Muharram, a holy month that goesback to the Battle of Karbala and the original split between Sunni andShia Muslims in 680 AD. In particular, the Shia Muslim prophet Husaynibn Ali, the grandson of Mohamed, was killed in battle on October 10,680.

(Because of differences in the Western and Muslim calendars, the datesdon’t always line up. This year, Muharram began in the evening ofWednesday, November 14, 2012, and ends in the evening of Friday,December 14, 2012. Husayn ibn Ali was killed in battle on the 10thday of Muharram.)

Islamabad is on high alert with extensive security on almost everymajor intersection for the 8th, 9th and 10th days of Muharram, toprevent further terrorist attacks. Daily Times (Islamabad) and AFP and Morals and Ethics

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