When the world gets closer.

We help you see farther.

Sign up to our expressly international daily newsletter.

Already a subscriber? Log in.

You've reach your limit of free articles.

Get unlimited access to Worldcrunch

You can cancel anytime.

SUBSCRIBERS BENEFITS

Ad-free experience NEW

Exclusive international news coverage

Access to Worldcrunch archives

Monthly Access

30-day free trial, then $2.90 per month.

Annual Access BEST VALUE

$19.90 per year, save $14.90 compared to monthly billing.save $14.90.

Subscribe to Worldcrunch
Egypt

ARABICA - A Daily Shot Of What the Arab World is Saying/Hearing/Sharing

ARABICA - A Daily Shot Of What the Arab World is Saying/Hearing/Sharing

A R A B I C A ارابيكا

By Kristen Gillespie

DEFECTION
Despite persistent reports to the contrary, Syria's official media continues to deny that soldiers are defecting from the army. A quick tour of YouTube turns up dozens of defector videos. The latest is here, with Ahmed Darwish in uniform and showing his official identity card announcing that he was joining the opposition "because of the army shelling mosques and firing on demonstrators." Darwish, who is not only risking his own life but that of his family, friends and pretty much everyone he knows, reveals the name of his commanding officer who issued a direct order "to fire on demonstrators." Soldiers do not want to fire on their fellow Syrians, but are under direct orders and afraid, Darwish says.

TRIAL
The trial of Egypt's former President Hosni Mubarak entered its fourth day on Wednesday, following a postponement earlier in the week when fighting broke out in the Egyptian courtroom. Police captain Abdul Hakim Mohammed was ordered by presiding Judge Ahmed Rifaat to be held in custody for having perjured himself. The families of victims killed during the January 25th revolution cheered from the spectators' gallery as the order was announced. Mohammed testified that security officers were not equipped with live ammunition during the 18-day revolution, and that he did not know who had killed 856 peaceful protesters.

Mohammed's statements directly contradict the captain's earlier testimony during the police investigation in March when he said that security forces were armed with grenades, tear gas, bullets, shotguns and other weaponry.

WITNESS
Al Hayat newspaper reports that Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head of the ruling military leadership, the Armed Forces' Chief of Staff Sami Annan and the powerful ex-head of Egyptian intelligence, who has mysteriously escaped prosecution, Omar Suleiman will testify at Mubarak's trial in the coming days.

FUGITIVE
Al Jazeera reports that Libyan fugitive leader Muammar Gaddafi and son Saif al-Islam are likely "still inside Libya" as rumors circulate that the two are seeking to cut a deal that would allow them to leave the country.

AND IN OTHER NEWS...
Checking in with Syria's official news agency, top stories include:

*"The burials of martyred soldiers' bodies and Defense Ministry employees take place in home towns and cities'

*"China again rejects any pressure on Syria and calls for more time for reforms'

*Finance Minister Mohammed "Al-Jalailiti: Impact of European sanctions very small, ‘We will depend on ourselves'"

*"6.5 billion Syrian pounds for tourist projects in Tartous, invitations issued to solve problem of land purchasing in order to encourage domestic tourism"


Sep 7, 2011

photo credit: illustir

You've reached your limit of free articles.

To read the full story, start your free trial today.

Get unlimited access. Cancel anytime.

Exclusive coverage from the world's top sources, in English for the first time.

Insights from the widest range of perspectives, languages and countries.

Economy

Lex Tusk? How Poland’s Controversial "Russian Influence" Law Will Subvert Democracy

The new “lex Tusk” includes language about companies and their management. But is this likely to be a fair investigation into breaking sanctions on Russia, or a political witch-hunt in the business sphere?

Photo of President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda

Polish President Andrzej Duda

Piotr Miaczynski, Leszek Kostrzewski

-Analysis-

WARSAW — Poland’s new Commission for investigating Russian influence, which President Andrzej Duda signed into law on Monday, will be able to summon representatives of any company for inquiry. It has sparked a major controversy in Polish politics, as political opponents of the government warn that the Commission has been given near absolute power to investigate and punish any citizen, business or organization.

And opposition politicians are expected to be high on the list of would-be suspects, starting with Donald Tusk, who is challenging the ruling PiS government to return to the presidency next fall. For that reason, it has been sardonically dubbed: Lex Tusk.

University of Warsaw law professor Michal Romanowski notes that the interests of any firm can be considered favorable to Russia. “These are instruments which the likes of Putin and Orban would not be ashamed of," Romanowski said.

The law on the Commission for examining Russian influences has "atomic" prerogatives sewn into it. Nine members of the Commission with the rank of secretary of state will be able to summon virtually anyone, with the powers of severe punishment.

Under the new law, these Commissioners will become arbiters of nearly absolute power, and will be able to use the resources of nearly any organ of the state, including the secret services, in order to demand access to every available document. They will be able to prosecute people for acts which were not prohibited at the time they were committed.

Their prerogatives are broader than that of the President or the Prime Minister, wider than those of any court. And there is virtually no oversight over their actions.

Nobody can feel safe. This includes companies, their management, lawyers, journalists, and trade unionists.

Keep reading...Show less

You've reached your limit of free articles.

To read the full story, start your free trial today.

Get unlimited access. Cancel anytime.

Exclusive coverage from the world's top sources, in English for the first time.

Insights from the widest range of perspectives, languages and countries.

Already a subscriber? Log in.

You've reach your limit of free articles.

Get unlimited access to Worldcrunch

You can cancel anytime.

SUBSCRIBERS BENEFITS

Ad-free experience NEW

Exclusive international news coverage

Access to Worldcrunch archives

Monthly Access

30-day free trial, then $2.90 per month.

Annual Access BEST VALUE

$19.90 per year, save $14.90 compared to monthly billing.save $14.90.

Subscribe to Worldcrunch

The latest