Egypt & North Africa. Usual British destabilizations and coups d'État

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Picks Just Who Is The Muslim Brotherhood? For decades they have been in the wilderness, repressed and seen as a dangerous malevolent force by Egypt's entrenched political elite. Now the Muslim Brotherhood has emerged as a pivotal player in the country's future after joining the popular uprising against President Hosni Mubarak. But how radical is the brotherhood’s leadership and will they clamor to transform Egypt into an Islamic state? More   Features Interview With Fawaz Gerges: 'Let's Not Fall Into The Scare Tactics Used By Mubarak' RFE/RL Correspondent Ron Synovitz speaks with Fawaz Gerges, the director of the Middle East Center at the London School of Economics, about the significance of recent political developments in Egypt as President Hosni Mubarak's regime faces a seventh day of massive antigovernment protests. More   Kabul Housing Shortage Leaves The Middle Class Behind The lack of affordable housing -- driven by a rapidly rising population, the wartime destruction of neighborhoods, and an influx of foreign contractors occupying choice locations -- has become one of the biggest social problems in Kabul. More   Gambling Gets A Run For Its Money In Azerbaijan New betting pools began operating in Azerbaijan recently, a decade after a high-profile scandal stymied the country's gambling industry. What's in the cards for the country's players? More   Interview: Browder Sees 'Tipping Point' In Western Attitudes To Russia Once one of the Kremlin's biggest public supporters, Bill Browder is now spearheading a campaign to enact international sanctions against 60 Russian officials after a lawyer for his firm, Sergei Magnitsky, died in prison last year. More   News Nazarbaev Calls Early Presidential Vote Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev has called for early presidential elections, rejecting a proposed referendum that would have extended his stay in office until 2020. Nazarbaev made the announcement just hours after the Constitutional Council said a parliamentary decision that would have allowed him to remain in office was not in line with the constitution. Critics dismissed the announcement as merely another political game. More   EU Bans Lukashenka, 157 Others European Union foreign ministers are expected to impose new sanctions against Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka's regime. More   From Our Bureaus Students Say 'No" To Kyiv Bill Some 100 university students picketed the Ukrainian parliament today to protest a draft law on higher education that could lead to higher tuition fees. Demonstrators say the draft "would kill equal and fair admission to Ukrainian universities." They also say the draft, put together by the ruling Party of Regions parliamentary faction, would force students to cover the cost of tuition themselves. More   Opposition Figure Detained In Moscow Moscow police have detained an activist from the opposition Other Russia coalition. Igor Berezyuk faces charges of attacking a policeman during an unsanctioned rally in Moscow at the end of December. Police questioned 11 more Other Russia activists and searched the organization's offices in Moscow earlier today. More   Kyrgyz Protest Mining Plans Some 300 people picketed the Kyrgyz government building in Bishkek today to protest mining projects planned for the northern Talas region amid concern the projects could damage the environment. More   Two Belarusian Activists Detained One Belarusian opposition leader was detained today and a second summoned for questioning by the KGB. More   Azerbaijani Nationals Leave Cairo Some 100 Azerbaijani citizens have been evacuated from Egypt on a special charter flight that landed in Baku today. More   U.S. 'Concerned' About Kyrgyz Trial The U.S. Embassy in Bishkek says it is concerned about the fairness of an appeal hearing in a murder case related to last year's ethnic violence in the south. More   Transmission Amazing Video From Egypt Powerful stuff from Egypt. More   Chaikhana Berdymukhamedov Likes The Limelight Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov hasn't entirely followed his predecessor Saparmurat Niyazov's path when it comes to extreme cult of personality, but it seems he does enjoy being at the center of attention after all. More   Caucasus Report 'Egyptian Scenario' In Baku? The opposition Civic Movement for Democracy -- Public Chamber (GDDOP) has urged new parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan "in order to prevent the situation in the country from developing in line with Tunisia and Egypt. More   Moscow Airport Bomber Identified Russian Federal Investigation Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin announced on January 29 that investigators have established the identity of the man who perpetrated the January 24 suicide bombing at Moscow's Domodedovo airport. Markin said the man, aged 20, was from one of the North Caucasus republics, but declined to say which one or to identify him by name on the grounds that the hunt for the masterminds continues. More