Former official calls for delay in Egyptian Premier League

Author: Nehal El-Sherif

   Cairo (dpa) - A former member of the Egyptian Football Association (EFA), Magdi Abdul-Ghani, called Monday for the postponement of the Premier League due to the unrest in Egypt, despite assurances by sports officials that it will start as scheduled.

   "I call on all sports officials and the government to take a final decision for delaying the championship," Abdel-Ghani told dpa.

   The violence, which has claimed around 50 lives, erupted last week as Egyptians took to the streets to mark the second anniversary of the revolt that toppled president Hosny Mubarak.

   The deadliest clashes were in Port Said city after a Cairo court handed down death sentences to 21 locals accused of murder over the deaths of 74 fans in riots that broke out between rival fans of the hosts al-Masry and the visiting team al-Ahly following a Premier League match.

   It was the country's worst football tragedy in more than a decade.

   The verdict for the remaining 52 defendants will be given on March 9, the judge said.

   Abdel-Ghani, a former player who now heads Egypt's Professional Footballers' Association, which represents players, said that his call for delaying the league is not just due to the Port Said case, but due to the political tension in the country.

   "Therefore, it is necessary EFA officials to leave their differences aside and focus on the interest of Egyptian football," he said.

   His call comes after an EFA member confirmed that the league will go ahead as scheduled on February 2, despite a one-month nighttime curfew imposed on the three restive coastal cities of Suez, Port Said and Ismailia.

   However, matches that were scheduled to be held there will be moved to Cairo, Hamada al-Masry, told dpa.

   "It is important that the Egyptian League is resumed, especially now that many clubs are near bankruptcy due to the football suspension," al-Masry said.

   The Premier League has been suspended since the Port Said deadly riot in February.

Egypt army chief warns unrest could lead to collapse of state

By Nehal El-Sherif and Pol O Gradaigh, dpa

   Cairo (dpa) – The current unrest in Egypt could lead to "the collapse of the state," Defence Minister and army chief Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi said Tuesday, in what some analysts see as a warning that the country's traditionally powerful military may decide to play a bigger role in resolving the political crisis.

   "The continuation of conflict between the various political forces and their differences over how the country should be run could lead to the collapse of the state and threatens future generations," he said.

   There have been riots across the country for the past five days, with protesters blaming Islamist President Mohammed Morsi for not achieving the goals of the revolution. More than 50 people have been killed so far in the violence.

   "The continuation of this situation, without a solution from all parties, leads to serious consequences affecting the stability of the country," al-Sissi said, adding that "the Egyptian army will remain the consistent and solid pillar of the state."

   Analyst Omar Ashour has played down speculation that the armed forces council, which led the country for a transitional period of 16 months, may take over power again.

   "If they take over power, they lose the legitimacy they have to use their power to end the chaos, which they enjoy now under a military-friendly constitution," said Ashour, head of Middle East Studies at the University of Exeter.

   "Some people are betting on a rift between the president and the armed forces, but I do not see this happening now," he added.

   Fresh clashes have erupted in central Cairo, with police forces firing tear gas at rock-throwing protesters.

   The unrest, seen as the worst crisis facing Morsi since he took office, began on the eve of the second anniversary of the revolt that toppled president Hosny Mubarak.

   Morsi has responded by imposing a state of emergency and a night-time curfew in the three restive cities of Port Said, Ismailia and Suez.

   Protesters have defied the measures by holding mass rallies and organizing late-night football matches.

   There have been no reports of arrests by troops deployed in those cities, although the legislature has approved a government proposal to give the army the power to arrest civilians.

   According to the Health Ministry, clashes that took place on Monday resulted in two deaths in Port Said.

   The ministry also reported 240 injuries, about half of them in the northern Nile Delta city of Kafr al-Sheikh, where demonstrators had attempted to storm the governorate building.

   Cairo's director of security announced that 178 suspected rioters have been arrested in the capital since the current outbreak of unrest began on Thursday.

   The Prosecutor General has ordered the arrest of all members of the so-called Black Bloc group of protesters for questioning on suspicion of forming a terrorist group.

   The Black Bloc is a group of men, masked and clad in black, that has emerged in recent days in different cities. It claims to be protecting demonstrators against the Muslim Brotherhood and attacks by security forces. They have been blamed for recent rioting in different cities.

   Prosecution spokesman Hassan Yassin said that investigations had established that it was “an organized group that practices terrorist violence.”

   He called on citizens to apprehend anyone suspected of belonging to the group and hand them over to the authorities.

   United Nations human rights chief Navi Pillay, meanwhile, expressed her concern at the situation.

   "As the tragic events over the past few days have shown, Egypt remains extremely fragile and unstable, and I urge the government to make a much stronger effort to accommodate opposing points of view, and take concrete actions to address public concerns," Pillay said.

   "I call for immediate investigations into the latest incidents as well as a thorough review of police tactics during the management of demonstrations," the High Commissioner added.

   Pillay also "urged all parties to conduct a serious dialogue in order to halt the exasperation and dangerous polarization underlying the current protests."

   Egypt's largest opposition coalition, the National Salvation Front, has rejected an invitation for a dialogue with Morsi and has threatened to demand early presidential elections if its conditions - which include a new government, amending the constitution and disbanding the Islamist-dominated parliament - are not met.

   Morsi is to go ahead with his planned visit to Germany on Wednesday despite the unrest, presidential spokesman Yasser Ali said.

Egypt's "Black Bloc" emerges amid increasing unrest

Author: Nehal El-Sherif

   Cairo (dpa) - A new Egyptian political movement, Black Bloc, made its first appearance last week on the eve of the second anniversary of the popular revolt that ousted longtime leader Hosny Mubarak.

   Dressed in black outfits and masks, Black Bloc members appeared on a video that was released online claiming they would protect demonstrators against the Muslim Brotherhood and attacks by security officials.

   "We are the Black Bloc ... seeking people's liberation, the fall of corruption and the toppling of the tyrant," according to the video posted online to announce the group's formation.

   "We had to come out officially to confront the fascist tyrant regime of the Muslim Brotherhood with its military wing," the video said. "And we warn the police force not to interfere, because if they do we will not hesitate to respond."

   The group appears to have been influenced by black-clad European protesters whose tactics were first developed in the 1970s in Germany to counter increased use of force by the police against demonstrators. Mass arrests and attacks by security on protesters were met with riots and looting. The media in Germany labelled them the Black Bloc.

   The tactics developed on the streets of Germany have since been used in different countries mostly by leftists at anti-nuclear, May Day and anti-World Trade Organization rallies.

   The video posted by the Egyptian group went viral and shortly after men wearing all-black clothes appeared in Cairo, Alexandria and other cities, banging drums and saying they will "continue the revolution." 

   On Friday, groups of people, allegedly belonging to the Bloc, barricaded one of Cairo's main bridges with burning tyres to prevent people from crossing.

   Their numbers are not yet known, however, in few days, they were seen among protesters clashing with police forces in several cities.

   A statement published on the social networking site Facebook said the group claimed responsibility for an attack on the office of the Muslim Brotherhood's official website.

   The independent al-Watan newspaper reported that the founder of the group, a university student named Sherif al-Serafi, said that the group seeks retribution for those who were killed since the January 25 revolt.

   However, both the Facebook statement and al-Serafi's claim to speak on behalf of the group could not be independently confirmed due to the obscure nature of the group.

   Some people claim they are connected to hardcore football fans, known as the Ultras, as both appeared to be highly-organized. The Ultras have played a key role in protests over the past two years.

   On Tuesday, Egypt's Prosecutor General ordered the arrest of all members of the so-called Black Bloc for questioning on suspicion of forming a terrorist group.

   The anarchist group have emerged as unrest spreads across the country. Clashes in different provinces have left around 50 people dead.

   Opposition groups have expressed concern that the Black Bloc's violent tactics will undermine their peaceful protests and political means.

   The Muslim Brotherhood, to which President Mohammed Morsi belongs, has condemned the group as "a group of thugs." 

Egypt unrest marks major test for Morsi's rule

By Nehal El-Sherif, dpa

   Cairo (dpa) – A march in Cairo marking the second anniversary of the Egyptian revolt carried banners reading “Blood for blood” and “We will not say 'peaceful' any more.”

   In the following three days, around 50 people were killed in clashes in Egyptian provinces.

   After being criticized for his silence, President Mohammed Morsi gave a firm address on Sunday night, imposing a state of emergency and curfew on three restive cities and warning of more severe measures that could be taken.

   "The recent acts have nothing to do with the revolution. They are against the law and incited by counter-revolution. The Egyptian people reject such actions, which are condemned by honorable revolutionaries," Morsi said.

   By Monday morning, new concrete walls were erected in central Cairo to prevent protesters from reaching parliament buildings.

   Intermittent clashes have continued since Friday, and more violence is feared as many plan to take to the streets to commemorate their day of rage two years ago, when the government cut off nearly all access to internet and mobile services.

   Some observers believe the hardline measures put Morsi in the same category as his predecessor Hosny Mubarak, whose endorsement of security violence against opponents led to the popular revolt against him.

   “Does anyone in full mental health need evidence on Mohamed Morsi's failure in managing the country?” asked columnist Ibrahim Eissa.

   “The state of emergency, violence and repression, which the Brotherhood push their president towards, will bring the option of revolution against Morsi closer and more successful, or else Morsi will end up ruling an Egyptian Somalia,” he added.

   Eissa, who was a longtime opponent of Mubarak, warned that protesters across the country are not currently interested in political solutions offered by the government or the opposition. “The angry groups protesting in all Egyptian provinces will not settle for anything less than completing the revolution.”

   Two years after the popular revolt that forced Mubarak from power, protesters are still using the same chants demanding “bread, freedom and social justice.” The economy is not doing any better than when Mubarak was in power, nor is freedom of expression.

   The slogan “The people want to topple the regime,” used against Mubarak, is also now chanted against Morsi.

   Discussions on social networks have increasingly drawn comparisons between Morsi, Mubarak, and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which ruled the country for a transitional period of 16 months. Some people have even suggested that Egypt will go back to square one, with the military taking over power.

   Analyst Gamal Sultan thinks this is an unlikely step, but he does not rule out the Supreme Council playing a role to end what he described as “power struggle between Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood group and the opposition forces.”

   “Morsi believes that responding unconditionally to the opposition's demands undermines his position and make the opposition look victorious, even though it could end the crisis,” he said.

   Egypt's largest opposition group, the National Salvation Front, has refused Morsi's call for a dialogue unless he meets their demands for a new government, amending the constitution, disbanding the Islamist-dominated upper house of parliament and independence of the judiciary.

   Abdul-Nasser Salama, editor-in-chief of the state-run Al-Ahram newspaper, blamed the opposition for the current stalemate.

   "In spite of the state of panic that seized the Egyptian family over the past few days, making streets look deserted as if we were on the verge of war, some forces have not changed their position, but rather kept on raising the ceiling of their demands,” he wrote on the paper's front page.

   Amid this political struggle, clashes continued and one more person was killed in Cairo. Protesters were marking the anniversary of January 28, 2011 – one of the bloodiest days of the 18-day revolt.

   Many groups seem disconnected from the political developments and take to the streets in defiance of Morsi's warnings.

   "The security solution is a failure that has been previously used by Mubarak and the military junta. The security solution will complicate the situation... Such measures will provoke more groups to challenge them,” said Ahmed Maher, the leader of the April 6 Youth Movement opposition group.

Business recorder

Egyptian death sentences sparks deadly clashes

By Nehal El-Sherif, dpa
(Death toll reaches 30 later)

   Cairo (dpa) - An Egyptian court ruling on Saturday sentencing 21 defendants to death for their role in deadly riots after a football match last year sparked clashes that left at least 26 people dead.

   Seventy-three people, including sports officials and policemen, were charged with premeditated murder or negligence in connection with the rioting at Port Said stadium in February.

   The riots broke out between rival fans of the hosts al-Masry and the visiting team al-Ahly following a Premier League match, killing 74 people. It was the country's worst football tragedy in more than a decade.
  
   The verdict for the remaining 52 defendants will be given on March 9, the judge said. Most of the defendants did not attend the session, held in Cairo, for security reason.

   The death sentences still await approval by Egypt's top cleric Al-Azhar's Mufti Ali Gomaa, as customary in Egyptian law.

   All defendants have the right to appeal. None of those sentenced on Saturday were policemen.

   Following the sentencing, fierce clashes erupted in Port Said between protesters and police forces, with Al-Masry fans and families of the defendants saying the case is politically motivated.

   Police used tear gas to disperse the crowd, who tried to storm the prison where defendants were being held. They also set fire to a police station close by, according to state media.

   Casualties were caused by gunshots and choking from tear gas, the health ministry said.

   At least two policemen were among the dead on Saturday, the ministry of interior said. Almost 300 were injured.

   Two football players, one from Al-Masry and another from the city's al-Marikh Club, were among those killed, local media reported.

   Clashes prompted army forces to deploy to Port Said, a northern coastal city, to protect vital institutions and restore security.

   Army forces tightened its control on the central prison, power and water stations and other vital government buildings by the afternoon, the army spokesman Colonel Ahmed Mohamed Ali said.

   However, hundreds of Al-Ahly team supporters, known as the Ultras, celebrated the verdicts by setting off fireworks and singing on the streets of Cairo.

   The families of victims, who attended the reading of the verdict in court, shouted "God is great" as they carried pictures of some of those killed in the football riot.

   Ahead of the verdict, Al-Ahly Ultras, who played a key role during the mass protests over the past two years, said that they will seek retribution if death sentences were not handed down.

   After last year's match, al-Masry fans stormed the pitch and started attacking al-Ahly players and fans. Spectators were hit with knives and pushed from top of the stadium, according to witness accounts after the riots.

   Al-Ahly Ultras accused police forces of conspiring against them with their rivals.  

   The violence comes one day after nine people were killed in a wave of violence that erupted across Egypt Friday, marking the second anniversary of a revolt that toppled former president Hosny Mubarak.

   Protesters clashed with police forces in several provinces.

   On Saturday, protesters called for revenge during a funeral march held for those killed in Suez city, blaming Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood group and security forces for the deaths.

   Clashes also erupted near the parliament building in Cairo on Saturday.

   "The National Salvation Front holds President Mohammed Morsi fully responsible for the excessive violence used by security forces against protesters and calls for an unbiased committee to investigate and punish those responsible for the bloodshed," Egypt's biggest largest coalition said.

   They threatened to boycott the upcoming parliamentary elections and call for mass protests next week, if their demands for political changes were not met.

   They also called for suspending the Islamist-drafted constitution and forming a national rescue government.

   The recent constitution referendum had left the country polarized, with the secular and liberal opposition saying the charter could undermine political and minority rights.
 
   Morsi, Egypt's first civilian president, has cancelled a trip to Ethiopia where he was going to attend an African summit scheduled for Sunday.

   He held an emergency meeting with the National Defence Council, which includes the ministers of defence, justice and information, to discuss the unrest in the country and how to hold accountable those responsible.

   On Friday, Morsi appealed for calm and vowed that authorities would bring lawbreakers to justice.

   "I call on all citizens to adhere to the noble principles of the Egyptian revolution in expressing opinion freely and peacefully," he said on his official Facebook page.

Deadly clashes in Egypt on second anniversary of revolt

Update to previous story

By Nehal El-Sherif, Ramadan Al-Fatash

   Cairo (dpa) - Nine people were killed Friday in clashes between police and anti-government protesters in the Egyptian city of Suez, said medical sources, as thousands took to the streets to mark the second anniversary of the revolt that toppled Hosny Mubarak.

   However, the Health Ministry put the death figure at four, saying that 379 were injured in violence across the country.

   Responding to a call by the opposition, thousands of Egyptians held mass rallies in Cairo's Tahrir Square and other major squares to protest what they say are attempts by President Mohammed Morsi and his group, the Muslim Brotherhood, to tighten their grip on power.

   Protesters attacked the Brotherhood's offices in some cities, while others were engaged in fierce clashes with police outside the state TV building near Tahrir.

   Police said they had foiled attempts by protesters to storm security buildings and local government offices in several areas across the nation.

   Security forces used tear gas to disperse Morsi's opponents after they broke through barbed wire barriers and hurled petrol bombs inside the presidential palace in eastern Cairo, reported the state-run newspaper al-Ahram online.

   Protesters, meanwhile, blocked main roads in Cairo and disrupted the city's metro service, said witnesses.

  Clashes also took place in the northern city of Alexandria after protesters surrounded and threw rocks at a local council building.

   Police responded by firing shots in the air and using tear gas.

   A group of protesters, identifying themselves as the Black Bloc, stormed a courthouse and blocked roads and tramways in the centre of Alexandria, Egypt's second-biggest city.

   The violence comes on the eve of an expected court ruling on Egypt's worst soccer tragedy.

   Militant soccer fans, known as the ultras, this week warned against "chaos" if no justice is achieved for 74 people who were killed in February last year in rioting following a match in the coastal Port Said. 

   The National Salvation Front, the main opposition bloc, blamed Morsi and the Brotherhood for the street turmoil and called for suspending a recently approved constitution drafted by Islamists.

   The opposition says the charter could undermine fundamental rights and sideline minorities.

   Thousands of Morsi's opponents converged on Tahrir Square - the epicentre of the 18-day revolt that ousted Mubarak in 2011.

   They carried the Egyptian flag, pictures of people killed in previous protests and banners reading: "Down with the Brotherhood's constitution" and "The people want to topple the regime."

   "I am taking part in marches today to reject the distorted constitution, Brotherhoodization of the state, a pounce on the rule of law and because the president and his government ignored the demands of social justice," liberal activist and former parliamentarian Amr Hamzawy said.

   Morsi's opponents also staged mass demonstrations in other cities, which the opposition said were reminiscent of the protests against Mubarak two years ago.

   Morsi's Islamist allies kept a low profile, saying they wanted to avoid clashes with his opponents.

   Morsi, Egypt's first freely elected president, faces the challenge of trying to revive the economy and ease tensions between Islamists and the secular-minded opposition.

  On Thursday, Morsi blamed remnants of the Mubarak regime for trying to undermine stability.

   "I hope all groups will remain peaceful during celebrations," Morsi said. "A structural reform is taking place in the state's institutions to fulfil the revolution's demands."

Clashes, protests mark Egypt's revolt anniversary

By Nehal El-Sherif

   Cairo (dpa) - Clashes erupted across Egypt on Friday as thousands took to the streets in anti-government protests to mark the second anniversary of the revolt that toppled Hosny Mubarak. 

   At least 119 people were injured in fighting between police and opponents of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in Cairo in several larger cities, according to health officials.

   Police said they had foiled attempts by angry protesters to storm security buildings and local government offices in several areas across the nation.

   Security forces used tear gas to disperse Morsi' opponents after they broke through barbed wire barriers outside the presidential palace in eastern Cairo, reported the state-run newspaper al-Ahram online.

   Protesters, meanwhile, blocked roads in Cairo and disrupted the city's metro service, said witnesses.

   Other protesters attacked the office of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood in the coastal city of Islamilia, reported local media.

   Clashes also took place in the northern city of Alexandria after protesters surrounded and threw rocks at a local council building.

   Police responded by firing shots in the air and using tear gas.      

   A group of protesters, identifying themselves as the Black Bloc, stormed a courthouse and blocked roads and tramways in the centre of Alexandria, Egypt's second-biggest city.

   Violent clashes were also reported in the coastal city of Suez, leaving at least 41 people injured.

   The opposition called for rallies against Morsi and the Brotherhood, accusing them of tightening their hold on power.

   Thousands of Morsi's opponents converged on Cairo's central Tahrir Square - the epicentre of the 18-day revolt that ousted Mubarak in 2011.

   They carried the Egyptian flag, pictures of people killed in previous protests and banners reading: "Down with the Brotherhood's constitution" and "The people want to topple the regime."

   "I am taking part in marches today to reject the distorted constitution, Brotherhoodization of the state, a pounce on the rule of law and because the president and his government ignored the demands of social justice," liberal activist and former parliamentarian Amr Hamzawy said.

   Egypt's new constitution, drafted by an Islamist-dominated assembly, was criticized by the opposition for language it says undermines political rights and sidelines minorities.

   Morsi's opponents also staged mass demonstrations in other cities, which the opposition said were reminiscent of the protests against Mubarak two years ago.

   Morsi's Islamist allies kept a low profile, saying they wanted to avoid clashes with his opponents.

   "Today's demonstrations confirm the success of the January revolution, which has established the right of Egyptians to hold peaceful protests," Essam al-Erian, a senior Brotherhood official, said.

   "The only way to end differences among political powers is dialogue or the ballot box," he told al-Ahram.

   On the eve of the protests, Morsi called on Egyptians to mark the second anniversary of the revolt in a "civilized and peaceful way."

   Morsi, Egypt's first freely elected president, faces the challenge of trying to revive the economy and ease tensions between Islamists and the secular-minded opposition.

   On Thursday, Morsi blamed remnants of the Mubarak regime for trying to undermine stability.

   "I hope all groups will remain peaceful during celebrations," Morsi said. "A structural reform is taking place in the state's institutions to fulfil the revolution's demands."

Distrust of police endemic two years after Egypt revolt

By Nehal El-Sherif, dpa =

   Cairo (dpa) - The revolution that was to free Egyptians of Hosny Mubarak's autocratic regime, with its feared security apparatus and suppression of freedom of expression, has done little to dispel endemic distrust of police.

   On the two-year anniversary of the revolt Friday, protesters will return to Cairo's iconic Tahrir Square - the epicentre of the demonstrations that toppled Mubarak - dissatisfied with their first civilian president and his Muslim Brotherhood-backed government.

   Egyptians still complain of a security vacuum, the use of lethal force by police and the impunity enjoyed by police officers implicated in violence against protesters.

   There have been neither cosmetic nor substantive changes in the police apparatus - whether administrative, in decision-making, or the removal of those responsible for torture and killings, said civil rights group Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR).

   When the mass rallies of 2011 were planned, pro-democracy activists chose January 25 - Police National Day - as the start date.

   More than 875 people were killed during the 18-day revolt. Public anger at police abuses led to the destruction of many police stations.

   The withdrawal of security forces from streets nationwide made things worse.

   The Interior Ministry continues to defend the police force by either denying its use of weapons or justifying abuses, EIPR said.

   Lawyers complain that accused police officers have not been jailed pending their investigation on criminal charges. In the process, witnesses and families of the victims end up getting pressured to change their statements to undermine the case.

   "As long as policemen use firearms irresponsibly and do not work in a framework of accountability and independent supervision, the lack of trust between citizens and police will continue," said Karim Ennarah, a researcher in EIPR's security reform programme.

   EIPR has called for the establishment of an independent body to investigate violations by security officers, restructuring the police force and changing the rules to allow the use of weapons only in cases of grave danger.

   A majority of the police officers accused of killing protesters during the revolt against Mubarak have been acquitted for lack of evidence. Senior Interior Ministry officials who were on trial with Mubarak were not only acquitted but also most of them returned to their positions.

   Of 186 police officers who were facing trial for killing protesters, only two were convicted and are serving prison sentences. Five officers were sentenced in absentia and 13 received suspended sentences. Some cases are still under way.

   Last week, clashes erupted in Alexandria when riot police fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators throwing rocks outside a courthouse, where former security officers were on trial for killing protesters.

   In the Cairo suburb of Shubra last week, five people were killed and 12 - including three police officers - were injured in clashes that erupted after a civilian was killed by a stray police bullet.

   The recurrent clashes have left many in fear of a return of violence on the second anniversary of the January 25 revolution.

   Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim said a security plan is in place for Friday. Police will secure Tahrir Square from the outside but will not be present inside the square, and rally organizers have been tasked with securing it from the inside.

   Ibrahim said security forces will not carry firearms, only riot gear and tear gas.

   Gaber Younes lost trust in the security forces after the August fighting in the north Cairo slum of Ramlet Beaulac where he lives.

   Police raided the area following tensions between residents and the management of a five-star hotel. One person was killed in the ensuing clashes.

   Some 51 civilians are facing trial for rioting. No police officers were charged for either the death or the injuries caused by firearms.

   "How come the police force that should protect people, is the one that is hitting us?" asked 63-year-old Younes, a father of 11.

   "At the time, they arrested almost everyone in our area. Then a day later, policemen stormed my house, hit me, my daughter and my wife," he said. "I filed a complaint to prosecution, but nothing happened."

   "Fifty-one people were taken - just like that. Tell me, in what country does that happen?"

   Following Mubarak's ouster, the government promised to restructure the Interior Ministry. Not much was changed.

   The State Security Investigations, notorious for torturing Mubarak's opponents and protesters, became the Homeland Security agency - with most of the staff unchanged. There were no clear legislative provisions for the work of the new body.

   The only legislative reform related to the police and security forces was adopted by the now-dissolved parliament, which amended the law to raise salaries and incentives for security personnel and abolish military trials for police officers.

   In recent months, international and local rights groups have said that police brutality and the torture of civilians continues under President Mohammed Morsi, who took office in July.

   EIPR said that 16 people have been killed by police - many of them inside police stations - during Morsi's first four months in power.

Published in Business Recorder

UAE defeats Iraq 2-1 to win Gulf Cup

Author: Nehal El-Sherif

   Manama (dpa) - The United Arab Emirates defeated Iraq 2-1 in extra-time to win the the 21st Gulf Cup of Nations on Friday, pleasing thousands of fans who were flown in to Bahrain for the final match.

   The UAE team, which advanced through the tournament without any defeats, claimed its second title since the Gulf Cup was launched in 1970. They first won the title in 2007 when the country hosted the tournament.

   Omar Abdul-Rahman scored the first goal in the 28th minute, but the teams were forced into extra time when Iraq's captain Younis Mahmoud Khalaf equalized in the 81st minute.

   The match was settled when UAE's substitute Ismail al-Hammadi scored in the 107th minute to win his country the title at the expense of the Lions of Mesopotamia, who have won the tournament three times before.

   Friday's game was anticipated as the two teams were the only of the eight participants to be coached by locals. The UAE led by Mahdi Ali and Iraq under Hakeem Shaker.

   Qatar and Saudi Arabia fired their coaches: Brazilian coach Paulo Autuori and Dutchman Frank Rijkaard after their teams' premature exit.

   Earlier on Friday, Kuwait, led by Serbian coach Goran Tufegdzic, did manage to win third place. Abdul-Hadi Khamis scored a hat-trick as Kuwait routed 10-man Bahrain in the match.

   The Kuwaiti team managed to change the course of the game after Abdullah Youssef's first-minute strike for the tournament hosts.

   Khamis scored in the 35th, 38th minute, and with a 54th-minute penalty after Bahraini goalkeeper Abbas Ahmed was sent off.

   Kuwait scored another three goals from Abdul-Rahman al-Shammari, Bader al-Mutwa and Abdul-Aziz Salimi between the 65th and 71st minute against the decimated opponents.

   Kuwait have won the tournament 10 times. Bahrain has never won the title, but it won second place four times.

   The tournament is not officially recognized by the ruling football body FIFA, but the Gulf Cup of Nations has risen in stature to become the oil-rich region's key competition.

   Four competing nations - Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE - have made World Cup appearances.

   The 2013 tournament was scheduled to be held in Iraq but was moved to Manama due to fears of violence. Tight security has been put in place in Bahrain, where anti-government protests have often turned violent in recent years.

   Iraq will host the 2015 Gulf Cup of Nations in the southern city of Basra.

UAE to meet Iraq in the Gulf Cup finals

Author: Nehal El-Sherif

   Manama (dpa) - The United Arab Emirates will meet Iraq in the final of the 21st edition of the Gulf Cup of Nations, held in the Bahraini capital Manama.

   "It will be a tough match, no doubt. We hope to get the title, and we promise our fans to present our best performance," Iraqi defender Salam Shaker said.

   Iraq earned a place in the final after beating Bahrain 4-2 in a penalty shootout in which Iraqi goalkeeper Noor Sabri saved two kicks and scored a goal.

   The original time ended in a 1-1 tie on a UAE goal by Younes Mahmoud in the 18th minute and a goal for host Bahrain scored in the 61st minute by Hussein Baba.

   The Lions of Mesopotamia are now one step away from the Gulf Cup's trophy. Iraq won the Gulf Cup three times, most recently in 1988. The final will be played on Friday following the game for third place between Kuwait and Bahrain.

   In the other semifinal the United Arab Emirates, whose previous Gulf Cup victory came in 2007, beat title-holders Kuwait 1-0, when Ahmad Khalil led his team to victory with the game's sole goal in the 89th minute.

   He is now the tournament's top scorer after his two goals in the previous match against the Omani team.

   Though the Kuwaiti team started well, their performance declined after the initial 20 minutes and UAE were rewarded with the late goal for their place in Friday's final.

   "I am very happy by Ahmed Khalil's performance up until he grabbed the goal by the end of today's match," UAE football coach Mahdi Ali. "It was an enjoyable match marked by excitement and parity."

   The 21st edition of the Gulf Cup of Nations, which is being held in the Bahraini capital, started with eight teams split into two groups.

   Launched in 1970, it is not officially recognized by the ruling football body FIFA. But the tournament has nevertheless risen in stature to become the oil-rich region's key competition.

   Qatar fired Brazilian coach Paulo Autuori on Tuesday after the team left the Gulf Cup without winning a single match.

   His assistant Fahad Thani will take charge. Autuori was Qatar's third coach in three years.

   Qatar, who are hosting the 2022 World Cup, have never qualified for the World Cup and aim to improve their performance.

Egyptian train crash kills 19

Author: Nehal El-Sherif

   Cairo (dpa) - A train derailed and crashed in Egypt on Tuesday, killing 19 soldiers, the health ministry said.

   The accident happened when a carriage derailed and hit a freight train some 30 kilometres south of Cairo, said Hussein Zakareya, chief of Egypt's Railway Authority.

   The train was returning to the capital from the southern Assiut province with more than 1,300 conscripts on board.

   President Mohammed Morsi visited victims of the crash, who were transported to a military hospital in Cairo.  

   "This is a sad day for Egyptians. I send my condolences to the families of martyrs who were on their way to fulfill their national duty and my prayers to the injured for speedy recovery," said Morsi.

   Prime Minister Hisham Qandil visited the scene, where 117 people were injured.

   Facing mounting pressure to improve rail safety, Morsi appointed a new transportation minister two weeks ago.

   "Allocating enough resources for developing railways and revising the distribution of the coming budget to save lives of people would be the priority," the deputy chairman of Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), Essam al-Erian, said.

    FJP is the political arm of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood group.

   Dozens of people staged a protest in Cairo's main railway station after the incident, chanting slogans against the government and Morsi's Islamist supporters.

   "Egypt's real tragedy is not about the affiliation of its rulers but rather their inability to manage the country," said Mohamed ElBaradei, an opposition leader.

   Forty-nine children on their way to school were killed in November when a train crashed into their school bus.

   The worst rail disaster was in February 2002 when a train heading to southern Egypt caught fire, killing more than 360 people.

picked up by Mcclatchy and  BellinghamHerald

UAE first to guarantee place in Gulf Cup semi-finals

Author: Nehal El-Sherif
Published January 8, 2013

   Manama (dpa) - The United Arab Emirates became the first team to qualify for the semi-finals of the Gulf Cup of Nations on Tuesday after defeating Bahrain 2-1 in Manama.

   The hosts, which have just one point from two games, have only a slim chance of making it to the next round.

   Ali Mabkhout put the UAE in front in the first half, and Bahrain's  Abdul Wahab al-Malod clinched the equalizer in the 75th minute. But five minutes from time, Majid Hassan scored the winning goal for the UAE.

   Qatar, which lost to UAE on Saturday, kept their chances alive after a 2-1 victory over Oman earlier in the day at Bahrain’s National Stadium.

   Qatari Ibrahim Khalfan scored the first goal from a penalty kick in the 53rd minute, but in the 71st minutes Oman's Hussain al-Hadri equalized from another penalty. Two minutes before time, Mohammad Al Sayed scored Qatar's winning goal from inside the penalty area.

   "I congratulate the players of the two teams on the outstanding performance and the fiery spirit that was present," Qatar's coach,  Brazilian Paolo Attori, said after the match.

   "(Qatar's) players had a strong reaction to their loss in the first match, which asserts their strength."

   Oman now have one point after a goalless draw against Bahrain on Saturday. The team will play its last game of the first round on Friday against the UAE.

   There are a total of eight teams split into two groups competing in the 21st edition of the Gulf Cup of Nations, which was launched in 1970. Though it is not officially recognized by the ruling football body FIFA, the tournament has risen in stature to become the oil-rich region's key competition.

   On Wednesday, title holders Kuwait play Iraq, followed by a match between Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

   The 2013 tournament had been scheduled to be held in Iraq but was moved to Manama due to security concerns.

   Tight security has been put in place in Bahrain, where anti-government protests have often turned violent in recent years.