Dozens march around Tahrir Square, demand civilian rule

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Dozens of protesters marched around Tahrir Square after Friday prayers, demanding retribution for protesters killed since the 25 January revolution began, social justice, halting natural gas exports to Israel, and a swift transition to civilian rule.
The march did not disrupt traffic in the square. Protesters urged people at Omar Makram mosque and the Mugamma administrative building, both located on the square, to participate in the celebrations planned for 25 January to commemorate the anniversary of the uprising the overthrow former President Hosni Mubarak.
Mazhar Shahin, the imam of Omar Makram mosque, participated in the march. During the demonstration, protesters raised images of the revolution's martyrs and the image of a military soldier who is currently on trial for joining Tahrir protesters in uniform last November.
On Monday, 54 political parties and movements called for nationwide protests on 25 January to demand a swift transfer of power from military to civilian rule.
The groups listed their demands in a joint statement: the handover of power to an elected civilian president by April, the release of all activists currently in detention, an end to military trials for civilians, and the imposition of a minimum and maximum wage.
Also in the statement, the groups called for a national dialogue over the selection process for the 100-member constituent assembly that will draft a new constitution.
The statement stressed that the assembly must draft a constitution that puts Egypt back on track to becoming a superpower in the Middle East and better distributes power in the political system it forms.
It also stressed the need to restructure the Interior Ministry and create an independent judicial commission to investigate the killing of protesters and refer the accused to speedy trials.
Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Tantawi meets with Palestinian President

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صورة
  Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas By DENDRAWI EL HAWARY - Translated by HEBA HABIB Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces , met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his accompanying delegation visiting Egypt Saturday. Abbas thanked the council, the government, and the Egyptian people for their efforts in the prisoner exchange, their ongoing support for the Palestinian people and, their promotion of reconciliation among Palestinian factions. The meeting discussed the regional events and their impact on the peace process, and Palestinian efforts in the international arena towards realizing the legitimate rights through the General Assembly of the United Nations. The meeting was attended by Lieutenant General Sami Anan, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed Kamel Amr, intelligence ...
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Egypt economy recovering, wants Europe debt relief

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Industry says opening of banks boosted economy * IMF says recovery depends on tourism rebound By Tom Pfeiffer CAIRO, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Egypt would like European Union states to cancel its debts to them but has not made a formal request, the EU's local delegation said, as Egypt's economy showed signs of recovery from weeks of political turmoil. The government has slashed its growth forecast after 18 days of street protests across the country unseated President Hosni Mubarak, scaring off tourists, hitting inward investment and sparking a wave of strikes in banks, industry and government. The economy was worth an estimated $217 billion last year and it relies heavily on foreign investment, tourism and fees from the Suez Canal. A government statistics agency estimates the uprising cost the economy at least $1.7 billion. A spokeswoman for the European Union delegation in Cairo said European Union Ambassador Marco Franco met Finan...
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