Egypt’s Morsi Grants Himself Sweeping Powers
Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has issued a decree granting himself far-reaching powers and ordering retrials of former officials who tried to violently suppress last year's popular revolution against longtime president Hosni Mubarak.
In a statement read on state television by his spokesman Thursday, Mr. Morsi declared that his decisions cannot be appealed by the courts or any other authority, putting himself beyond judicial oversight.
The spokesman also said Mubarak-era officials will face retrials for alleged involvement in the killings of protesters during the 2011 uprising, a move that could lead to a retrial of Mubarak himself. The ousted leader was sentenced to life in prison in June for failing to stop the killings. But, he avoided convictions on more serious offenses of corruption and ordering the deadly crackdown, angering many Egyptians.
Other Mubarak-era officials and security personnel also have been acquitted on charges of killing protesters, prompting critics to accuse the top government prosecutor of mishandling the cases. In his decree Thursday, Mr. Morsi fired that prosecutor, Abdel-Maguid Mahmoud, a Mubarak appointee who had been in the post for many years. The decree retroactively limited Mahmoud's term to four years, bringing it to an immediate end.
President Morsi had tried to fire Mahmoud last month but was blocked by the courts. He named Talat Abdullah as the government's new general prosecutor.
The presidential decree also bars Egypt's judiciary from dissolving the upper house of parliament and an assembly drafting a new constitution – two bodies dominated by Mr. Morsi's Islamist allies. Egyptian courts have been examining cases demanding the dissolution of both assemblies.
Americans Mark Thanksgiving Holiday
Americans are marking the annual Thanksgiving holiday Thursday.
The holiday is engrained in American life as a day for family gatherings with sumptuous turkey feasts, accompanied by a wide array of side dishes and pies. By one estimate, more than 43 million people are expected to travel 80 kilometers or more to attend holiday gatherings between now and Sunday.
But other Thanksgiving traditions are prominent in the U.S. as well, including religious services and key youth and professional football games. One major retailer, the Macy's department store chain, kicked off its annual Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, putting a festive mood into the air of a city still coping with the aftermath of superstorm Sandy. Parade-goers enjoyed marching bands, performers and, of course, the giant balloons.
Five-thousand bleacher seats along the parade route were set aside for families affected by the storm.
Tradition says the first American Thanksgiving occurred in 1621, with early North American settlers commemorating a harvest after a harsh winter.
More than a century later, the nation's first president, George Washington, declared it a national holiday in 1789. The current U.S. president, newly re-elected Barack Obama, followed tradition Wednesday and “pardoned” two turkeys, nicknamed Cobbler and Gobbler. He said the birds would then get to live out their days at George Washington's nearby Mount Vernon estate.
Mr. Obama called on Americans, even as they celebrate the holiday, to do all they can to help less fortunate people, including those who lost homes along the country's Eastern seaboard because of the recent superstorm Sandy.
“I'd like to ask every American to do what they can to help families who are in need of a real Thanksgiving this year.”
In his weekly radio and Internet address, the president also urged the country to put aside partisan differences after a campaign he called “passionate, noisy and vital to our democracy.”
The American Thanksgiving, by law on the fourth Thursday of November, also serves as somewhat of a respite from the commerce of the approaching holiday shopping season, leading to Christmas on December 25.
But that no-shopping-on-Thanksgiving tradition is fading in the U.S., with some chain stores planning to open their doors for early holiday gift-buying on Thursday night. That is just hours ahead of what is called Black Friday in the U.S., traditionally one of the biggest shopping days of the entire year.
In part, the day has been called Black Friday because of the millions of shoppers and traffic congestion throughout the country, from its largest cities to small towns. But the term is also said to describe the day in which retailers have enough sales to be profitable, to put them in the black, in accounting terms.
Consumer spending accounts for about 70 percent of the U.S. economy and some retailers say end-of-year holiday spending accounts for about a quarter of their annual sales. But sales this year could increase just 2.5 percent compared to 2011, according to one estimate.
Holiday sales could be hurt by the sluggish pace of the U.S. economy, with more than 12 million workers still unemployed in the aftermath of the recession in 2008 and 2009.
One other complication is that the White House and Congress also are facing contentious government spending and tax issues that could further hurt the economy if left unresolved in the waning weeks of 2012. Almost all American workers face tax increases January 1 if the dispute is not resolved by the end of the year.
Nigerian Tops Africa’s Richest List
Forbes magazine has named Africa's richest man — a Nigerian tycoon who made his fortune in sugar, flour, and cement.
This is the second year in a row that Aliko Dangote has topped the list of Africa's 40 richest people, with a reported net worth of $12 billion.
Forbes says most of Dangote's wealth comes from his cement business, which operates in 14 countries.
Nicky Oppenheimer of South Africa and his family were second on the list with $6.4 billion, followed by another South African, Johann Rupert, who along with his family has $5.7 billion.
Only two women are on the list of Africa's 40 richest. One of them is entrepreneur and investor Isabel dos Santos, daughter of the Angolan president.
The list includes only Africans who live on the continent
David Beckham to quit LA Galaxy next month
Former England captain David Beckham is leaving Los Angeles Galaxy next month after six years at the American Major League Soccer (MLS) club.
He intends to quit after the season-ending MLS Cup final on 1 December.
In a statement Beckham, 37, said: "I wanted to experience one last challenge before the end of my playing career."
Melbourne Heart claim they are in talks with Beckham over a "10-game stint" in Australia, despite his camp saying he had "no plans" to play in the A League.
Heart chief executive Scott Munn told BBC Sport: "We are incredibly serious and working tirelessly with David's representatives to table a compelling offer which is commensurate with the international player that David is.
"We're talking to David about a 10-game stint. Football is the third code behind Australian Rules football and rugby league. We think David takes it to the next level."
Beckham joined Manchester United as a 14-year-old and went on to make 398 appearances for the club, winning six Premier League titles and the Champions League.
He moved to Real Madrid in a £25m deal in 2003, winning the La Liga title in 2007 just weeks before his switch to the United States.
The midfielder made his England debut against Moldova in 1996 and captained the side from 2000 to 2006, making his 115th and final England appearance in a 3-0 win over Belarus in 2009.
Beckham insisted his links with MLS would continue should he join another league.
"I don't see this as the end of my relationship with the league as my ambition is to be part of the ownership structure in the future," he said.
Beckham's initial contract with the league included a clause allowing him to be involved in owning an MLS expansion team down the line.
MLS commissioner Don Garber praised Beckham's impact on MLS.
"There is no doubt that MLS is far more popular and important here and abroad than it was when he arrived," Garber said in a statement.
"David has achieved great things on and off the field during his time with the Galaxy and he will always be an important part of our history."
Usain Bolt may play football or cricket after 2016 Olympics
Sprint star Usain Bolt will not appear in this year's Big Bash Twenty20 League but may consider switching to cricket or football after the 2016 Olympics.
The Jamaican, 26, held talks with Shane Warne's Melbourne Stars in October.
But Bolt's agent Ricky Simms told BBC Sport: "Usain is currently an athlete focused on his preparations for the 2013 World Championships in Moscow.
"He may try his hand at cricket or football when he retires from running but that would be after 2016."
Bolt, who grew up in cricket-mad Jamaica, was sounded out by Melbourne Stars captain Warne in August after cementing his status as an athletics legend by defending his 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay crowns at the London 2012 Olympics.
Bolt said at the time that he would "definitely" love to be involved in the Australian tournament, prompting Warne to launch a Twitter campaign to try to bring about the move.
The story resurfaced on Friday when ex-Australia wicketkeeper Ian Healy tweeted that a deal between Bolt and the Stars to play in the competition - which runs from 7 December to 9 January - was "hours away".
But Healy's claim was dismissed by Simms, who said: "I met with the Melbourne Stars in October and told them Usain is not available to play cricket this year."
Jamaica's Reggae Boyz pitted against Cuba in Carib Cup
Jamaica's Reggae Boyz have been drawn in Group A of the Caribbean Football Union's (CFU) Caribbean Cup, along with French Guiana, Cuba and the Dominica Republic and a strong 30-man squad will be named on Friday, assistant coach Alfredo Montesso told the Jamaica Observer yesterday.
Jamaica, the two-time defending champions, will not have the players from England available and the squad will be selected from those plying their trade in the US Major League, players from the Scandinavian countries and from the local premier league.
"We will not because they (English-based players) will be in competition, so we will have players from the MSL and Scandinavia and local players," Montesso confirmed.
But according to the Brazilian coach, he has seen Jamaica placed in two different groups, which has confused him and he is currently seeking clarification on the matter.
Preparations are well underway for Jamaica to defend their title at the 16th edition of the tournament and the players should be in camp by Sunday, November 25.
"We are starting the camp with 30 players and will include some young boys... to have the connection between the youth programme and the transition.
"At the end of the preparation, the squad will be reduced to 23 that will travel to Antigua," Montesso pointed out.
With Jamaica through to the six-team final stage of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers, Montesso said this tournament will be used for more than one purpose.
"We want to qualify as one of the teams to the Gold Cup and Jamaica is the champion of the competition, so we have to be really strong."
The top four teams in the Caribbean Cup will qualify for the CONCACAF Gold Cup in the USA, starting July 7, 2013.
"We have to take this opportunity to have a strong team together and not only think of the Caribbean Cup, which is really important to us, but of course about the preparation for the next World Cup phase," he added.
Montesso didn't divulge the names of the local players likely to be called to camp, said final checks with the clubs will be made before Friday to see the physical conditions of the local players before releasing their names.
"Actually, we have a couple players from the local league and we are checking with their clubs to see if they are fit to invite them. It will be a 15-day camp. We start on November 25 and go straight to December 6 when we leave and play on the 8th," revealed Montesso.
Group B of the 10-day tournament, to be hosted by Antigua and Barbuda (A&B), will also be contested by Haiti, Martinique and Trinidad and Tobago (T&T).
By virtue of being defending champions, the Boyz got a bye in the qualifying rounds, as have A&B as hosts.
T&T are the most successful country with eight titles, with Jamaica second with five for a combined 13 of the 15 championships to date. Martinique and Haiti have each won the tournament once.
Jamaica won the last two editions and three of the last four, with victories in 1991, 1998, 2005, 2008 and 2010.
Soure-JA.Observer
Brazilian football star on trial for killing lover
The trial of a former football star charged with orchestrating the kidnapping and gruesome murder of an ex-girlfriend started yesterday with courtroom arguments that caused two lawyers to abandon the case, and with a tearful plea for justice from the victim's mother.
The case of the former Flamengo goalkeeper Bruno Fernandes, known in Brazil as Bruno, has riveted Brazil and shocked the world of football. Fernandes' accomplices allegedly held his former girlfriend, model Eliza Samudio, before killing her, quartering her, and feeding her remains to dogs.
The former captain of one of Rio's premier clubs led his team to Brazilian football championship victory in 2009. That same year, Samudio made the first allegations to police that she was pregnant with Fernandes' child, and that the football great and others kidnapped her and tried to force her to terminate the pregnancy.
She refused. The child was born healthy, and named Bruno as well. The model disappeared soon afterward, in June 2010. In December 2010, Fernandes was found guilty of Samudio's initial accusations and is serving a prison sentence of four years and six months in that case. After a court dispute, Samudio's mother was named the child's guardian.
The former soccer great now faces a second trial, on charges he ordered his ex-girlfriend's grisly death.
Investigators said the player was behind a scheme that lured the 25-year-old woman from Rio de Janeiro to a ranch in the neighbouring state of Minas Gerais with the promise that Fernandes would recognise the child as his and give her an apartment. There she was allegedly held against her will by Fernandes' accomplices, killed and quartered, her remains fed to dogs who roamed the property.
The first day of the murder trial in Minas Gerais was marked by high drama, with attorneys for two of Fernandes' alleged accomplices who are also facing murder charges -- former police officer, Marcos dos Santos, and the football player's right-hand man, Luiz Romao -- walking out on the case after arguing with the judge over access to videos of witness testimony.
Others also charged with Samudio's kidnapping, murder and the hiding of her body are Dayanne Rodrigues, Fernandes' wife, and Fernanda Castro, a lover. All those charged with the death have pleaded innocent, including Fernandes.
The attorney for the former soccer player said he remained confident that his client would walk out a free man.
"Bruno is tired of being in prison," said attorney Rui Pimenta to O Globo newspaper outside court in the town of Contagem. "He is ready to walk out and go eat some rare barbecue."
The defence's argument is that there can be no murder charges because Samudio is, in fact, alive. The attorney Pimenta says he will produce proof that Samudio is living in Eastern Europe.
Samudio's mother, Sonia Moura, told the news website G1 that she trusted justice would be made and dared the football player to look her in the eyes in court.
"I believe in justice, and in the condemnation of all the accused," she said. "I want my daughter's mortal remains."
Source-AP
Australia's Dan Christian banned for trashing changing rooms
Dan Christian has been banned for one match for smashing up a dressing room for the third time this season.
The former Hampshire player, 29, trashed changing rooms after three successive dismissals for the West End Redbacks.
"When blokes get out it really is tough," South Australia director of cricket Jamie Cox said.
"But it doesn't give anybody the right to actually smash up equipment and smash up dressing rooms."
Cox added: "We all have bad days but you can't go belting holes in walls and start upsetting the people around you."
Christian was fined for his second transgression but after again vandalising the changing room at Perth's WACA, where he was out for eight and four as the Redbacks were beaten by the Warriors, he has been banned for the match against Victoria Bushrangers.
The all-rounder helped Hampshire win the FP t20 title in 2010 and has played 17 one-day internationals and 11 Twenty20 matches for his country.
HP: Autonomy lied about finances
Computer maker Hewlett Packard has asked US and UK authorities to investigate alleged misrepresentations before its takeover of UK software group Autonomy last year.
This led to a $5bn (£3.1bn) charge in its latest quarterly accounts.
HP said it was "extremely disappointed" that Autonomy had appeared to have "inflated" the value of the company prior to the takeover.
"These efforts appear to have been a wilful effort to mislead," HP said.
The total one-off charge recorded in HP's accounts for the three months to the end of October was $8.8bn, pushing the company to a $6.85bn net loss.
Greece: Eurozone ministers to make crunch decision
Eurozone finance ministers meet later to decide whether to release the next 33bn euros ($42bn; £27bn) of bailout cash needed by Greece to stay afloat.
On the agenda will be a two-year delay to Greece's austerity programme, how to meet the country's extra funding needs, and how to make its debts sustainable.
The International Monetary Fund, which will also be at the meeting, insists Greece's debtload must be alleviated.
But Germany and the European Central Bank oppose writing off Greece's debts.
The EU has already accepted the need to give Athens two more years to get its overspending under control.
Spending cuts have added to the devastation the Greek economy, which it was confirmed last week shrank a further 7.2% in the third quarter of 2012 from a year earlier.
The far-right Golden Dawn movement is on the rise - and is rumoured to have infiltrated the Greek police - and there are concerns that the country's pro-austerity government - a shaky coalition of right-wing and left-wing former adversary parties - may fall apart.
Debt forgiveness
However, giving Greece more time inevitably means that the government will also be borrowing more for longer.
Athens is supposed to cut its total debtload to 120% of annual economic output by 2020 under the current bailout programme.
Some eurozone ministers appear to want to postpone this deadline by two years, but the IMF opposes this, believing that the 2020 deadline must be retained if it is to deem Greece's debts "sustainable".
The Fund is not allowed to lend to a country that it deems incapable of repaying its debts.
But it is unclear what Greece can do to cut its debtload.
As a precondition to its current, second bailout package, Greece has already negotiated with its private sector lenders a write-off of three-quarters of the value of what it owed them.
There has been talk of a similar write-off of what Greece owes its official lenders - including the ECB and the eurozone's bailout funds - but almost certainly not the IMF.
However, any such debt forgiveness has been fiercely resisted by the German government, who deems such a move politically untenable with German voters.
The German finance minister has made clear that it could not permit any further lending to Greece if the country fails to honour its existing debts.
The ECB is also against cancelling the Greek debts it owns, something that it would consider "monetisation of government debt", which is forbidden by the central bank's constitution.
Greece has earned itself one new ally in the Netherlands. The previous Dutch government took a similarly hard line to Germany, but elections in September brought a new centre-left government to power on a wave of anti-austerity sentiment.
The new Dutch finance minister told his country's parliament on Monday that the onus was on Europe to do more: "In the end, European countries will have to meet Greece halfway to get a sustainable perspective."