Yemeni block port protest against the agreement with the resignation of Saleh - Ha'aretz

Tens of thousands of Yemenis intensified protests Wednesday by blocking access to a key as mediators of Gulf port appeared close to sealing an agreement for President Ali Abdullah Saleh to relinquish power.

The demonstrators distrust plan of the Council of the Gulf Cooperation, supported by the Government and the opposition group main, because it gives Saleh, a window of long months to resign and grants him and his family immunity from prosecution.

"People want a beginning, not an initiative," the demonstrators shouted outside Red Sea port of Hodeida, where ongoing marine operations not affected.

President Ali Abdullah Saleh of the Yemen

Clashes flared in South Yemen between security forces and demonstrators hostile to the Government which has blocked roads with burning tires.

A protester and a soldier were killed, said hospital and local officials. Earlier reports put the toll at two soldiers.

The agreement to end political crisis of the Yemen was to be signed in Riyadh Sunday, three months after that Yemenis first took to the streets to demand the overthrow of the Saleh, inspired by the revolts that toppled leaders in Egypt and Tunisia.

The balance of power has tipped against Saleh, who was an ally key to West against al-Qaida, after weeks of violence, military defections and political reversals.

Hodeida, organizer of the demonstration Abdul Hafez Muajeb said the coast guard welcomed protesters and had raised a banner saying they would not use weapons against the people.

"We close the port because its revenues are used to finance the thugs," said manifesting Muaz Abdullah, referring to the civil security men that often use daggers and bats to disperse demonstrations.

The participation rate large demonstrations show capacity of mainly young demonstrators, including students, tribes, and activists, to act as deal with potential spoilers of the Gulf. They have promised to stay in the streets until their demands are met.

It is not clear that parties of the opposition, composed of the Islamists, Arab nationalists and leftists who have been in recent years, in and out of Government could halt the protests even if necessary for the transition agreement.

Washington and neighbors oil giant Saudi Arabia want the impasse resolved. They fear that a descent more bloodshed in the State of the Arabian peninsula would offer more room for a wing based at the al-Qaeda Yemen to operate.

Violence torches

The agreement of the Gulf provides Saleh to appoint a Prime Minister of the opposition, which would then form a Government of transition before the presidential election two months after his resignation. But the window of a month for Saleh to resign sparked fears that may offer potential sabotage times.

Mohammed Basindwa, a senior leader of the opposition considered top candidate, the head of a transitional Government said he only expected an agreement to be signed without further negotiations, and said Saleh was not expected to attend the meeting in Riyadh.

Saleh, who ruled for 32 years, would sign the agreement in Sanaa, while the opposition would sign in Riyadh in the presence of a delegation from the Government, said Basindwa.

Requested A will it was confident Saleh would resign after window day the30, Basindwa, said: "the United States and the European Union and the Gulf States ensure that all parties will paste to implement the agreement."

Other clashes broke out in the main town in the South of Aden, the closure of young demonstrators tried to enforce a general strike that paralyzed the city of port that most businesses and schools, said a local government official.

Strikes are also underway in Taiz, which saw some great anti-Saleh events, and Ibb, South of Sanaa.

Elsewhere in the South, armed men killed more than two dead soldiers and injured five in an attack on a military control post which was attributed to al-Qaida loyalist, said a local official.

About 130 protesters were killed, as swept disorders, to the Yemen where about 40 percent of its 23 million people live on e2 per day or less, and a third face chronic hunger.

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Appeals Court rules against Arizona law

PHOENIX - The Court of appeal of the United States for the Ninth Circuit ruled against the State of Arizona Monday and let stand a lower court decision blocking the most contentious parts of immigration law of the State to go into force.

The decision calling the unconstitutional provisions was a victory for the administration of Obama, who argued that the amended Act with the authority of the Federal Government on immigration. Two judges ruled against Arizona, and a dissenting in part on their part.

Last July, a few days before the Act was to take effect, federal judge Susan Bolton of Court of District issued an order blocking the parties thereof. Governor Jan Brewer, a Republican who takes in charge the repression against immigrants, filed an appeal seeking the injunction lifted.

After the Appeals Court rejected the request of the State Monday and has published a lengthy decision indicating that he believed that the State had exceeded its powers, State Senator Russell k. Pearce, a Republican who is the main sponsor of the lawremained defiant, saying that the issue would be decided by the Supreme Court.

"This battle is a battle of epic proportions", Mr. Pearce said in a statement suggesting that he was not surprised by the decision. "It is subject to law of the State to enforce the laws of this country and protect its citizens against those who violate our laws."

Ms. Brewer and the Arizona Attorney General, Tom Horne, also promised to keep fighting for the right. "I think that the Ninth Circuit decision will be overturned by the United States, the Supreme Court and I undertake to make all possible efforts to achieve this result", said Mr. Horne.

Critics of the Act, who have held demonstrations and commenced trial to invalidate it, were delighted with the decision.

"One of the reasons for which we have a judicial system is so that the crowd does, so that when Parliament oversteps its bounds there is someone to stop them, said Omar Jadwat A.C.L.U. immigrants ' Rights Project.".

It was not immediately clear, how the State would take place. Could appeal the decision to the full Ninth Circuit, or he might immediately appeal to the Supreme Court. The State could also stop to call and return to the Court of Federal District in Phoenix, where j. Bolton continues to oversee challenges to the Act.

"In upholding the decision of the judge Bolton, the Ninth Circuit has reported, with a strong, clear voice, effort of Arizona to regulate the immigration law and policy directly violates the Constitution and will not be maintained, said David Leopold.President of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

The decision will be closely monitored in several States considering similar laws that are specific to them. The Senate of the Georgia has been set to discuss the issue Monday, and an another Bill appeared on the move in Alabama.

Other States, including Mississippi and Kansas, watered down or abandoned bills difficult to avoid disputes and protests facing Arizona. After the lawmakers in Utah found that administration of Arizona challenge was likely to prevail, they took a different tack. They voted for a milder law of application project, but has also voted to create a program of invited illegal immigrant workers.

Backers of the law of Arizona said they were satisfied with disagreements among the judges of the Court of appeal. Judge Carlos Bea issued a partial dissent in which he criticized the majority argument by quoting Lewis Carroll "Alice in Wonderland country."

The Act would have required the police to question people about their immigration status if they had been arrested for other issues, and the officers found a reasonable suspicion that they were illegal immigrants. Critics said that is an invitation to racial profiling.

Also in dispute were provisions requiring immigrants carrying their papers and making this a violation of illegal immigrants to work or look for work.

Julia Preston contributed reports of Princeton, N.J.

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Egypt gears anti-corruption battle against the regime of Mubarak - Xinhua

by Xinhua writer Li Laifang

(In Cairo, April 10, Xinhua)-the Egypt has accelerated its campaign anti-corruption officials Mubarak-era to relieve the demonstrators which require the first trials of the former President Hosni Mubarak and his top aides of the page.

Mahmoud Abdel-Meguid, Attorney General of the country, on Sunday called Mubarak and would to his younger son Gamal, in a few days, judicial sources said.

Former Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif, an ally top of the former President, was detained with a former Minister of housing, the same day on charges of corruption.

They came after one was killed and dozens were injured in a riot Saturday early in central Cairo on Tahrir square, where troops and police have been dispersed hundreds of demonstrators who wanted to remain there during the night, defying the curfew remained in effect from 2 am (0000 GMT) to 5 hours of the morning (0300 GMT).

Tens of thousands of demonstrators Friday gathered on the place Tahrir, the epicentre of the mass protests that forced Mubarak to resign on 11 February, to express their anger on what they believed as the slow process of indictment corrupt in the former Government officials.

Remains of the decision formerly Democratic Party (NDP) have been blamed for inciting deadly rioting on Saturday aimed at a corner of conduct between the army and the population.

To avoid bloodshed, which means no excuse for more protests, prosecutors should speed up their investigations into cases of corruption of former and bring to justice as soon as possible, as required by the groups of young and some opposition parties.

As the economy undergoes a harsh blow by agitation, the restoration of normalcy in each sector is absolutely necessary for his recovery.

Demonstrations have never stopped in this country after January 25 to February 11 events. People like to turn to protests to achieve what they want, whether it is realistic or not.

With the pressure of protests, the interim Government has been redesigned in early March. Editor-in-chiefs of national newspapers have been replaced by new faces. Figures associated with the Mubarak regime have been removed from their posts.

Since the fall of Mubarak, a number of figures top of the page, including former Ministers of the Interior, of tourism, information, finance, industry and trade, and housing, have been arrested or investigated over corruption charges.

Mubarak and his family were banished to travel abroad and their assets frozen on 28 February. On 5 April, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces decided to form a judicial Committee to investigate the assets of Mubarak and his family.

Charges against Mubarak included the repression of peaceful demonstrations and abuse of power. At least 384 people died and more than 6,000 people were injured in the 18 days of demonstrations.

Various reports on the richness of Mubarak and his family brought out during and after the protests. Allegations of corruption against Mubarak and his aides has been one of the main causes of the protests, in addition to price food rate and unemployment rate rising high in the country.

Mubarak defended himself and his family by denying the charges in a taped audio speech issued by pan-Arab Al - Arabiya TV on Sunday.

"I strongly pained concerning unfair campaigns and accusations without foundation targeting my reputation and history", he said, in her first statement public after his resignation and handed power to the army.

He said that it agreed to the request of the Attorney-General Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Egypt to inquire about its assets abroad by diplomatic means.

Mubarak denied that he used his power to accumulate wealth big.

"I kept silent for the past few weeks against all campaigns and misrepresentations aims at defaming my reputation and testing seriously affect me and the integrity of the members of my family up to what the Attorney General gets all the reports of countries abroad and reveal the truth" said Mubarak.

It added richness Alaa and Gamal was acquired by exploiting their influence or illegal guys through.

"I reserve my legal rights to those who tried to ruin me and my family reputation", he said.

It is obvious that the demonstrators will not stop their demonstrations unless they see real progress in the trials of senior officials of the former Government.

Therefore, these procedures will be implemented more effectively to calm the enthusiastic youth activists.

Mohamed El Gohary, President of the Egypt anti-corruption agency, said there was no delay in the questioning of Mubarak and other officials and that all the defendants will be summoned as early as the end of the questioning.

Egypt will hold parliamentary elections in September and November presidential polls. The army will transfer power to a civilian Government after the elections.

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Iraqis protest against the presence of U.S. troops

Radical imam Moqtada al-Sadr supporters demonstrate troops Saturday in Baghdad against the US presence in Iraq.Protesters want us troops outGates raises the prospect of some remainingThere soldiers were demonstrations throughout the Friday Iraq

Baghdad (CNN) , tens of thousands of demonstrators in Baghdad marked the eighth anniversary of the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime with a protest Saturday against the presence of American troops.

The demonstrators, followers of anti-American Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, rally around Mustansriya Square, where they called us all the troops of is to withdraw from Iraq at the end of the year.

The demonstrators carried the Iraqi flag and banners, with some chanting "Baghdad is a free country, America get out!" and "not for" Occupation, not for America.

One banner read "no, not America," while another said: "Yes, Yes for Koran."

US troops are scheduled to depart from the Iraq end of the year under a bilateral agreement between the Iraqi Government and the United States.

But if increases in violence and instability persists in Iraq, it is possible that the two countries could agree to maintain US troops in Iraq, which has now approximately 47,000 US soldiers. The figure is down from a peak of 171 000 in 2003.

This prospect of US troops in Iraq disrupts many citizens, including thousands who support al-Sadr, a religious appeal of base in the cities and neighbourhoods in Iraq.

Sheikh Salah al-Obaidi, a cleric who has read a statement by demonstrators on behalf of al-Sadr, raised the possibility of US troops remain in Iraq, in the next year and beyond.

"If the invasion forces decide not to leave our country." What happens if they decide to stay? What happens if the US and other troops decide to remain in our land? .... You keep silent? "Al-Obaidi said, Declaration of reading al-Sadr singing of"God is great.""

"If they decide to stay in our country, while we have to do two things: first is to climb the armed resistance and lift the freeze on the Mehdi Army," al-Obaidi said. "".

He was referring to the suspension of August 2007 of the activities of the army of Mehdi, al-Sadr militia.

US military commanders have cited this move as of the main reasons for a decline in violence throughout the Iraq, where the forces of Al-Sadr fought US troops at the height of the war.

Emotions in the street was fuelled by the remarks of U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who made an unannounced visit this week to the Iraq and the presence of US troops discussed with senior officials, including Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

"My message to them was if there must be a presence or they still need help, we are open to that possibility." But it will have to ask, and the clock is ticking in Washington because we have many ongoing around the world and we offer you to make decisions, "Gates said.

"It would obviously be a presence that is a fraction of the size of that which we have here now, but it's really up to the Iraqis at this time."

Friday, the demonstrators in Baghdad and other provinces also focused on the fall of the regime Hussein and grievances arising from the war, including opposition to the US troops presence.

It is a change of theme in recent weeks, when Iraq demonstrators rallied on the same issues are considering that sparked demonstrations across the Arab world.

People were upset about corruption, unemployment, lack of basic services and restrictions on freedom of expression.

Demonstrators in the Sunni district of Adhamiya called for the release of the detainees and compensation for the "victims of the occupation."

"Some of the shouting demonstrators, no to occupation, step of foreign troops," witnesses said.

To place Baghdad Tahrir, about 300 demonstrators carrying banners and Iraqi flags, shouted, "we do not accept life in an occupied country anymore.".

One of the banners read, "Non-American and Iranian occupation." This includes a reference to the Shiite influence of the Iran with the masses and the Government of Iraq.

Women in pictures of their sons and husbands, who have disappeared or were killed during the war.

"In this war, so many women lost son and many others have become widows, only Iraqi step but also American women." "We are those who have paid the price of this war," said Shima Kareem, who was among the demonstrators.

Also proven hundreds in Fallujah, in the largely Sunni province of Anbar in the West and Samarra, in the province of Salahuddin in the North to demand the release of the detainees, compensation for the families of the victims and the departure of US troops.

Since 2003, 4,421 US troops have died in Iraq, according to military figures counted by CNN.

An invasion of the Iraq by the United States in March 2003 has led to the removal of Saddam Hussein's regime on April 9. The iconic reversal of the statue of the former leader Firdous in Baghdad place symbolizes the fall of the regime.

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