Clipmarks | zizzy's Cairo collection

Egypt detains 95 over general strike

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:41:46 GMT

clipped by: zizzy
clipper's remarks: It was quieter than usual on Sunday and the weather matched the mood of the city. There was a dust storm, a khamsin. The tallest buildings in downtown Cairo were invisible, riot police were in force at Midan Tahrir. Classes were canceled at schools and universities. People are fed-up with class disparity and corruption.

It is unclear who initiated the call which snowballed after some 25,000 employees at the textile plant in Mahalla announced plans to strike from Sunday over low salaries and price hikes.

On Saturday the interior ministry threatened "immediate and firm measures against any attempt to demonstrate, disrupt road traffic or the running of public establishments and against all attempts to incite such acts."

Clip Source: news.yahoo.com

CAIRO (AFP) - Egyptian authorities arrested 95 people including politicians and bloggers on Sunday for inciting unrest by calling for a general strike around the country

"Ninety-five people have been arrested around the country, including in Cairo and Alexandria, for inciting unrest," the official said, adding that workers had failed to heed the call to strike

Among those detained are opposition leaders including Islamist journalist Mohammed Abdel Qudoos and Magdi Hussein who heads the Labour party, suspended since 2000 after its mouthpiece published articles critical of the governmen

Bloggers and members of other opposition parties including the Nasserist and the liberal Ghad parties as well as from the protest movement Kefaya have also been detained.

Despite official claims that the strike action had failed, traffic around the country was unusually light for a Sunday, the first day of the Egyptian working week, AFP reporters said.

Arab Ministers finally agree - on limiting press freedom

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 03:45:26 GMT

clipped by: zizzy
clipper's remarks: I love the Egyptian people. It is unfortunate they are burdened with a horrible government.

only tiny Qatar showed some reservation about the new rules. [note: the home of Al Jazeera]

The charter comes complete with sanctions in case any of the rules are violated. These start with a simple warning to the station in question, before graduating to the confiscation of material and equipment, financial and ultimately the permanent cancellation of the station's permit.

As an afterthought, the document also mentions "the citizen's right to knowledge."

The controversial document consists of 18 articles, and is the result of six months work by a committee of academics, some of whom have previously defended laws restricting journalistic freedoms in Egypt and demanded censorship on e-media.

Clip Source: www.menassat.com

CAIRO, Feb. 15, 2008 (MENASSAT) – "A mysterious, retroactive text, repressing freedoms," is how regional and international organizations have described a charter recently adopted by the Arab Ministers of Information. Entitled 'Suggested Guidelines and Principles for Organizing Sattelite TV in the Arab World

At Egypt's demand, the proposed charter was added to the agenda of a special summit of Arab Information ministers

It was agreed that all satellite TV should abide to the following conditions:

not to offend the leaders or national and religious symbols in the Arab world

not to damage social harmony, national unity, public order or traditional values

to conform with the religious and ethical values of Arab society and take account of its family structure

to refrain from broadcasting anything which calls into question God, the monotheistic-religions, the prophets, sects or symbols of the various religious communities; and

to protect Arab identity from the harmful effects of globalization

Cairo Taxicab Confessions

Sat, 15 Dec 2007 14:08:55 GMT

clipped by: zizzy

Clip Source: www.youtube.com

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