The Jan Lokpal Bill (Citizen's ombudsman Bill) is a draft anti-corruption bill

drawn up by prominent civil society activists seeking the appointment of a Jan

Lokpal, an independent body  that would investigate corruption cases, complete the
investigation within a year and envisages trial in the case getting over in the next
one year. 

Drafted by Justice Santosh Hegde (former Supreme Court Judge and present
Lokayukta of Karnataka), Prashant Bhushan (Supreme Court Lawyer) and Arvind
Kejriwal (RTI activist), the draft Bill envisages a system where a corrupt person
found guilty would go to jail within two years of the complaint being made and his
ill-gotten wealth being confiscated. It also seeks power to the Jan Lokpal to
prosecute politicians and bureaucrats without government permission. 

Retired IPS officer Kiran Bedi and other known people like Swami Agnivesh, Sri
Sri Ravi Shankar, Anna Hazare and Mallika Sarabhai are also part of the
movement, called India Against Corruption. Its website describes the movement as
"an expression of collective anger of people of India against corruption. We have
all come together to force/request/persuade/pressurize the Government to enact the
Jan Lokpal Bill. We feel that if this Bill were enacted it would create an effective
deterrence against corruption."
Anna Hazare, anti-corruption crusader, began a fast-unto-death today, demanding
that this bill, drafted by the civil society, be adopted. The website of the India
Against Corruption movement calls the Lokpal Bill of the government an
"eyewash" and has on it a critique of that government Bill. It also lists the
difference between the Bills drafted by the government and civil society.

A look at the salient features of Jan Lokpal Bill:

1. An institution called LOKPAL at the centre and LOKAYUKTA in each state

will be set up 

2. Like Supreme Court and Election Commission, they will be completely

independent of the governments. No minister or bureaucrat will be able to
influence their investigations.

3. Cases against corrupt people will not linger on for years anymore: Investigations
in any case will have to be completed in one year. Trial should be completed in
next one year so that the corrupt politician, officer or judge is sent to jail within
two years.

4. The loss that a corrupt person caused to the government will be recovered at the
time of conviction. 

5. How will it help a common citizen: If any work of any citizen is not done in
prescribed time in any government office, Lokpal will impose financial penalty on
guilty officers, which will be given as compensation to the complainant.

6. So, you could approach Lokpal if your ration card or passport or voter card is
not being made or if police is not registering your case or any other work is not
being done in prescribed time. Lokpal will have to get it done in a month's time.
You could also report any case of corruption to Lokpal like ration being siphoned
off, poor quality roads been constructed or panchayat funds being siphoned off.
Lokpal will have to complete its investigations in a year, trial will be over in next
one year and the guilty will go to jail within two years.

7. But won't the government appoint corrupt and weak people as Lokpal members?
That won't be possible because its members will be selected by judges, citizens and
constitutional authorities and not by politicians, through a completely transparent
and participatory process. 

8. What if some officer in Lokpal becomes corrupt? The entire functioning of

Lokpal/ Lokayukta will be completely transparent. Any complaint against any
officer of Lokpal shall be investigated and the officer dismissed within two
months.

9. What will happen to existing anti-corruption agencies? CVC, departmental

vigilance and anti-corruption branch of CBI will be merged into Lokpal. Lokpal
will have complete powers and machinery to independently investigate and
prosecute any officer, judge or politician. 

10. It will be the duty of the Lokpal to provide protection to those who are being
victimized for raising their voice against corruption.

Indo – US deal
The 123 Agreement signed between the United States of America and the Republic of India is known
as the U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Cooperation or Indo-US nuclear deal.[1] The framework for this
agreement was a July 18, 2005 joint statement by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and
then U.S. President George W. Bush, under which India agreed to separate its civil and military
nuclear facilities and place all its civil nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) safeguards and, in exchange, the United States agreed to work toward full civil nuclear
cooperation with India.[2] This U.S.-India deal took more than three years to come to fruition as it had
to go through several complex stages, including amendment of U.S. domestic law, specially
the Atomic Energy Act of 1954,[3] a civil-military nuclear Separation Plan in India, an India-IAEA
safeguards (inspections) agreement and the grant of an exemption for India by the Nuclear Suppliers
Group, an export-control cartel that had been formed mainly in response to India's first nuclear test in
1974. In its final shape, the deal places under permanent safeguards those nuclear facilities that India
has identified as "civil" and permits broad civil nuclear cooperation, while excluding the transfer of
"sensitive" equipment and technologies, including civil enrichment and reprocessing items even under
IAEA safeguards. On August 18, 2008 the IAEA Board of Governors approved,[4] and on February 2,
2009, India signed an India-specific safeguards agreement with the IAEA.[5] Once India brings this
agreement into force, inspections will begin in a phased manner on the 35 civilian nuclear installations
India has identified in its Separation Plan.[6]

The deal is seen as a watershed in U.S.-India relations and introduces a new aspect to international
nonproliferation efforts.[7] On August 1, 2008, the IAEA approved the safeguards agreement with
India,[8] after which the United States approached the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to grant a
waiver to India to commence civilian nuclear trade.[9] The 45-nation NSG granted the waiver to India
on September 6, 2008 allowing it to access civilian nuclear technology and fuel from other countries.
[10]
The implementation of this waiver makes India the only known country with nuclear weapons which
is not a party to the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) but is still allowed to carry out nuclear commerce
with the rest of the world.[11]

The US House of Representatives passed the bill on 28 September 2008.[12] Two days later, India and
France inked a similar nuclear pact making France the first country to have such an agreement with
India.[13] On October 1, 2008 the US Senate also approved the civilian nuclear agreement allowing
India to purchase nuclear fuel and technology from the United States.[14][15] U.S. President, George W.
Bush, signed the legislation on the Indo-US nuclear deal, approved by the U.S. Congress, into law,
now called the United States-India Nuclear Cooperation Approval and Non-proliferation
Enhancement Act, on October 8, 2008.[16] The agreement was signed by Indian External Affairs
Minister Pranab Mukherjeeand his counterpart Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, on 10 October.

Ayodhya vrdict

Sixty years after it first went to court, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High
Court has pronounced judgment in the Ayodhya title suit, saying Hindus and
Muslims are joint title holders.

The three-judge bench - comprising Justice S U Khan, Justice Sudhir Agarwal and
Justice D V Sharma - ruled in a majority judgment 2:1, that there be a three-way
division of the disputed land - one-third for the Sunni Waqf Board, one-third for
the Nirmohi Akhara and one-third to the party for 'Ram Lalla'.

Each of the three judges gave a summary of his own. 

And Justice Aggarwal observed that the inner courtyard of the building belonged
to both Hindus and Muslims. (Read: Inner courtyard area belongs to Hindus &
Muslims, says Justice Agarwal)
The Ayodhya judgment

In an order that runs into over 8,000 pages, the High Court has said that the portion
below the central dome under which the idols of Lord Ram and other Gods are
placed in a makeshift temple, belongs to Hindus. All three judges agreed that the
portion under the central dome should be allotted to Hindus.

The Nirmohi Akhara, the judgment says, would get the Ram Chabutra and Sita
Rasoi. (Read the judgement) 

Ravi Shankar Prasad, BJP leader and senior advocate appearing for one of the
litigants, emerged from court after the verdict to say, "this matter will be looked
into in the next three months but the important part here is that court has taken a
decision with the consent of the majority and that is that where Ram Lalla is
(viraajman) is the birth place of Ram and that's what the Hindu's believe and even
(Justice) SU Khan has also said that Ram Lalla will not be moved out from that
place even when it will be divided into three."

Crucially, the court has said there shall be status quo at the site for three months.

There were two other majority findings, where one judge dissented and two
agreed: that the disputed structure was a mosque and that a temple was demolished
to build a mosque. Justice SU Khan held that no temple was demolished for
constructing the mosque at the disputed structure. He said the mosque was
constructed under orders of Babar over the ruins of temples lying in that state for a
very long time. (Read: Ayodhya dispute timeline)

The judgment observed that the idols were placed beneath the central dome early
on December 23, 1949.

The court dismissed two major claims to the land - one filed in 1989 on behalf
Ram Lalla, or the infant Lord Ram, and the second by the Sunni Waqf Board filed
in 1961. (Watch: Sunni Waqf Board's suit dismissed, says lawyer) | (Read: Sunni
Waqf Board to appeal in Supreme Court)

The Sunni Waqf Board has said it does not agree with today's judgment and will
appeal in the Supreme Court against it. 

The chairman of the Sri Ram Janmbhoomi Trust, Nritya Gopal Das, too said they
would challenge the decision to provide one-third of the disputed land to the Sunni
Waqf Board in the Supreme Court. (Watch: The background to the Ayodhya
dispute)

The dispute before the court was whether the 2.7 acres of disputed land on which
the Babri Masjid stood before it was demolished on December 6, 1992, belongs to
the Sunni Central Waqf Board or to the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha.

It has been a protracted legal battle, and people across the country have spoken in
one voice on the need to maintain peace and harmony.
 
PM appeals for peace

After a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on security, Prime Minister Manmohan

Singh issued an appeal to "all sections of the people to maintain peace and
tranquility and to show respect for all religions and religious beliefs in the highest
traditions of Indian culture... Let me also state that Government on its part remains
fully committed to upholding the rule of law and maintaining peace, order and
harmony... It is my hope that the response of the people of India to the judgement
will be respectful, dignified and do our country proud.
 
He said the "orders delivered by the three Honourable Judges need to be examined
carefully." "The correct conclusion, at this stage, is that the status quo will be
maintained until the cases are taken up by the Supreme Court," he said. (Read: PM
appeals for peace after verdict)

Temple politics back?

Only a few hours after the Ayodhya verdict, top leaders of the BJP met at party
patriarch LK Advani's residence in New Delhi. After the meeting, Advani said, "In
so far as the judgement upholds the right of the Hindus to construct a temple, it is a
significant step forward toward the construction of a grand temple of the birthplace
of Lord Ram." (Watch: Advani, Modi, others react to verdict)

Advani said the BJP believed the verdict opened a new chapter for national
integration and a new era of inter-community relations and added that the party "is
gratified that the nation has received the verdict with maturity." (Read: A new
chapter of national integration, says Advani)

No politics, please, said the Congress. Senior leader in charge of UP Digvijaya

Singh said, "no politics at this point." (Watch: Ayodhya verdict- Temple politics
back?)

Political parties appeal for calm

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said the "judgement has paved the way for the
construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The judgement is not a win or loss for
anybody. We invite everybody, including Muslims, to help build the
temple." (Watch: Nobody's victory or loss, says RSS)
Bhagwat also said "joy and happiness over the verdict" should find expression in a
"controlled and peaceful manner" within the limits of law and constitution.
"Uncalled for provocation must be avoided," he added, saying the movement for a
Ram temple was "not a reactionary one, nor it is against any particular
community."

Zafaryab Jilani, convenor of the All-India Babri Masjid Action Committee

(AIBMAC), too said, "We hope peace and tranquillity will be maintained." Jilani
said the "majority judgment is that mosque and temple must coexist."

The Congress welcomed the Ayodhya judgment saying everyone should accept it
and no one should treat it as a victory or defeat. "Congress has held that the
controversy should either be solved through talks or the verdict of the court should
be accepted. The court has given the verdict. We should all welcome the
judgement," party general secretary Janardhan Dwivedi told reporters. (Watch:
Everyone should welcome Ayodhya judgement, says Congress)

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi said, "I welcome the court's decision and
appeal to all to maintain peace. We should all work towards harmony. I am happy
that the judgement now paves the way for building a Ram temple in Ayodhya. This
judgement will work as a catalyst for the country's unity." Modi's views were also
echoed by senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi. (Watch: Narendra Modi on
Ayodhya verdict)

CPM's Sitaram Yechury asked the people of India to maintain peace and not fall
prey to any provocation. "This judgement requires to be fully studied. There may
be questions on the nature of the verdict," the CPM Politburo said in a statement.

UP Chief Minister Mayawati threw the ball in the Centre's court over the
implementation of the verdict and ensuring peace and harmony in the state. She
alleged that the Centre had not provided enough paramilitary forces for security.

Corruption allegations adarsh society

In 2010, the Indian media brought to public the violations of rules at various phases of
construction in the Adarsh Society. Questions were raised on the manner in which
apartments in the building were allocated to bureaucrats, politicians and army personnel who
had nothing to do with Kargil War and the way in which clearances were obtained for the
construction of the building of the Adarsh Society.[2][3] The Adarsh society high-rise was
constructed in the posh Colaba locality of Mumbai, which is considered a sensitive coastal
area by the Indian Defence forces and houses various Indian Defense establishments.[4] The
society is also alleged to have violated the Indian environment ministry rules.[5] Many
activists like Medha Patkar had been trying to uncover this scam since a long time.[6] The
exposure of the infamous nexus between politicians, bureaucrats and builders in this scam is
said to be only the tip of the iceberg. It had led to resignation of the then Chief
Minister, Ashok Chavan.[7]

Several inquiries have been ordered by the army and the Government to probe into the
irregularities.[8] Some of the current occupants of the flats in the Adarsh co-operative society
building have offered to vacate their flats at the earliest, denying allegations that they were
alloted flats because they influenced or helped, in some manner, the construction of the
society by violating the rules.[9] The media also exposed that the lower house of the Indian
Parliament was misled by one of the bureaucrats, Pradeep Vyas, involved.

The environment minister Jairam Ramesh formally set the ball rolling for the demolition of
the entire 31-story scam-tainted Adarsh building in Coloba's eco-sensitive zone on Friday
November 12, 2010. The environment minister is said to have sent a show cause notice to
the Adarsh housing society. The environment minister is said to have stated that "all options
under the law are open except regularization of the structure".[10] As per the Ministry of
Environment and Forests' order dated 16 Jan 2011, 'the unauthorised structure should be
removed in its entirety and the area restored to its original condition'.[11]

JAPAN EARTH QUAKE

The 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami (東日本大震災 Higashi Nihon Daishinsai[6]?, literally

"Eastern Japan Great Earthquake Disaster"[fn 1]), officially named the Great East Japan Earthquake,
[7]
 was a 9.0-magnitude undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at
14:46 JST (05:46 UTC) on Friday, 11 March 2011.[2][3][8] The epicenter was approximately 72 km
(45 mi) east of the Oshika Peninsula of Tōhoku, with the hypocenter at an underwater depth of
approximately 32 km (19.9 mi).[2][9] On 1 April 2011, the Japanese government named the disaster
resulting from the earthquake and tsunami the "Great Eastern Japan Earthquake" (東日本大震
災 Higashi Nihon Daishinsai?).[10] The earthquake triggered extremely destructive tsunami waves of up
to 37.9 meters (124 ft)[11] that struck Japan minutes after the quake, in some cases traveling up to
10 km (6 mi) inland,[12] with smaller waves reaching many other countries after several hours. Tsunami
warnings were issued and evacuations ordered along Japan's Pacificcoast and at least 20 other
countries, including the entire Pacific coast of the Americas.[13][14][15]

The Japanese National Police Agency has confirmed 14,133 deaths,[4][5] 5,304 injured,[4][5] and 13,346

people missing[4][5] across eighteen prefectures, as well as over 125,000 buildings damaged or
destroyed.[4][5] The earthquake and tsunami caused extensive and severe structural damage in Japan,
including heavy damage to roads and railways as well as fires in many areas, and a dam collapse.[12]
[16]
 Around 4.4 million households in northeastern Japan were left without electricity and 1.5 million
without water.[17] Many electrical generators were taken down, and at least three nuclear
reactors suffered explosions due to hydrogen gas that had built up within their outer containment
buildings after cooling system failure. On 18 March, Yukiya Amano—the head of the International
Atomic Energy Agency—described the crisis as "extremely serious."[18] Residents within a 20 km
(12 mi) radius of the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant and a 10 km (6 mi) radius of the Fukushima II
Nuclear Power Plant were evacuated. In addition, the U.S. recommended that its citizens evacuate up
to 80 km (50 mi) of the plant.[19]

Estimates of the Tōhoku earthquake's magnitude make it the most powerful known earthquake to

have hit Japan, and one of the fivemost powerful earthquakes in the world overall since modern
record-keeping began in 1900.[8][20][21] Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said, "In the 65 years after
the end of World War II, this is the toughest and the most difficult crisis for Japan."[22] The earthquake
moved Honshu 2.4 m (7.9 ft) east and shifted the Earth on its axis by almost 10 cm (3.9 in).[23][24] Early
estimates placed insured losses from the earthquake alone at US$14.5 to $34.6 billion.[25] The Bank of
Japan offered ¥15 trillion (US$183 billion) to the banking system on 14 March in an effort to normalize
market conditions.[26] On 21 March, the World Bank estimated damage between US$122 billion and
$235 billion.[27] Japan's government said the cost of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the
northeast could reach $309 billion, making it the most expensive natural disaster on record.[28][29]

Arab crisis

The Arab uprising, as it has become known[14][15][16][17][18][19] although several affected nations like Iran (Persia) are absolutlly not

part of the Arab world, was sparked by the first protests that occurred in Tunisia on 18 December 2010 following Mohamed

Bouazizi's self immolation in protest of police corruption and ill treatment.[20][21] With the success of the protests in Tunisia,

a wave of unrest struck Algeria, Jordan, Egypt, and Yemen,[22] with the larger, more organised demonstrations occurring on a

"day of rage".[23][24][25] The protests have also triggered similar unrest outside the region.

To date, demonstrations have resulted in the overthrow of two heads of state: Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled

to Saudi Arabia on 14 January following the Jasmine Revolution protests, and in Egypt, President Hosni Mubarak resigned on

11 February 2011, after 18 days of massive protests, ending his 30 year presidency. During this period of regional unrest,

several leaders announced their intentions to step down: President of Yemen, Ali Abdullah Saleh, announced that he would not

seek another term in office in 2013, ending his 35 year presidency.[26] Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir also announced

that he would not seek re-election in 2015[27] as did Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki whose term ends in 2014,[28] although

there have been increasingly violent demonstrations demanding his immediate resignation.[29] Protests in Jordan have also

caused the resignation of the government [30] resulting in former Prime Minister, and Ambassador to Israel, Marouf Bakhit

being appointed prime minister by King Abdullah and tasked with re-forming government.[31]

The volatility of the protests[32] and their geopolitical implications have drawn global attention[33] with the possibility that some

protesters may be nominated for the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize.[34]

Background
[edit]Motivations

Numerous factors have led to the protests, including dictatorship or absolute monarchy, human rights violations, government

corruption (demonstrated by Wikileaks diplomatic cables),[110] economic decline, unemployment, extreme poverty, and a

number of demographic structural factors,[111] such as a large percentage of educated but dissatisfied youth within the

population.[112] The catalysts for the revolts in all Northern African and Gulf countries have been the concentration of wealth in

the hands of autocrats in power for decades, insufficient transparency of its redistribution, corruption, and especially the refusal

of the youth to accept the status quo.[113] Increasing food prices and global famine rates have also been a significant factor, as

they involve threats to food security worldwide and prices that approach levels of the 2007–2008 world food price crisis.[114]

In recent decades rising living standards and literacy rates, as well as the increased availability of higher education, have

resulted in an improved human development index in the affected countries. The tension between rising aspirations and a lack

of government reform may have been a contributing factor in all of the protests.[113][115][116] Many of the internet-savvy youth of

these countries have studied in the West, where autocrats and absolute monarchies are considered anachronisms. A university

professor of Oman, Al-Najma Zidjaly referred to this upheaval as youthquake.[113]

Tunisia and Egypt, the first to witness major uprisings, differ from other Northern African and Persian Gulf nations such as

Algeria and Libya in that they lack significant oil revenue, and were thus unable to make concessions to calm the masses.[113]

[edit]Recent history

The current wave of protests is not an entirely new phenomenon, resulting in part from the activities of dissident activists as

well as members of a variety of social and union organizations who have been active for years in Tunisia, Western Sahara,

Algeria, Egypt, as well as in other countries in the area.[117]

Tunisia experienced a series of conflicts over the past three years, the most notable occurring in the mining area of Gafsa in

2008, where protests continued for many months. These protest included rallies, sit-ins, and strikes, during which there were

two fatalities, an unspecified number of wounded, and dozens of arrests.[117][118][119]

The Egyptian labor movement had been strong for years, with more than 3,000 labor actions since 2004.[120] The most

important demonstration was an attempted workers strike on 6 April 2008 at the state-run textile factories of al-Mahalla al-

Kabra, just outside Cairo. The idea for this type of demonstration spread throughout the country, promoted by computer-literate

working class youths and their supporters among middle-class college students.[120] A Facebook page, set up to promote the

strike, attracted tens of thousands of followers. The government mobilized to break the strike through infiltration and riot police,

and while the regime was somewhat successful in forestalling a strike, dissidents formed the 'April 6 Committee' of youths and

labor activists, which became one of the major forces calling for the big demonstration on 25 January in Tahrir Square.[120]

In Algeria, discontent had been building for years over a number of issues. In February 2008, United States Ambassador

Robert Ford wrote in a leaked diplomatic cable that Algeria is 'unhappy' with long-standing political alienation; that social

discontent persisted throughout the country, with food strikes occurring almost every week; that there were demonstrations

every day somewhere in the country; and that the Algerian government was corrupt and fragile.[121] Some have claimed that

during 2010 there were as many as '9,700 riots and unrests' throughout the country.[122] Many protests focused on issues such

as education and health care, while others cited rampant corruption.[123]

In Western Sahara, the Gdeim Izik protest camp was erected 12 km south-east of El Aaiún by a group of young Sahrawis, on 9

October 2010. Their intention was to demonstrate against labor discrimination, unemployment, looting of resources, and human

rights abuses.[124] The camp contained between 12,000 and 20,000 inhabitants, but on 8 November 2010 it was destroyed and

its inhabitants evicted by Moroccan security forces. The security forces faced strong opposition from some young Sahrawi

civilians, and rioting soon spread to El Aaiún and other towns within the territory, resulting in an unknown number of injuries

and deaths.

The catalyst for the current escalation of protests was the self-immolation of individuals such as Mohamed Bouazizi, which

brought together various groups dissatisfied with the existing system, including many unemployed, political and human rights

activists, labor, trade unionists, students, professors, lawyers, and others.[117] These groups have become an unprecedented

movement that has built sufficient momentum to engender the current scope of events.

[edit]Tunisian revolution
Demonstrators in downtown Tunis on 14 January 2011

Main article: Tunisian revolution

Following the self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi in Sidi Bouzid, a series of increasingly violent street demonstrations

through December 2010 ultimately led to the ouster of longtime President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali on 14 January 2011. The

demonstrations were precipitated by high unemployment, food inflation, corruption,[125] lack of freedom of speech and other

forms of political freedom,[126] and poor living conditions. The protests constituted the most dramatic wave of social and political

unrest in Tunisia in three decades,[127][128] and have resulted in scores of deaths and injuries, most of which were the result of

action by police and security forces against demonstrators. Ben Ali fled into exile in Saudi Arabia, ending his 23 years in power.
[129][130]

Following Ben Ali's departure, a state of emergency was declared and a caretaker coalition government was created, which

included members of Ben Ali's party, the Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD), as well as opposition figures from other

ministries. However, the five newly appointed non-RCD ministers resigned almost immediately.[131][132] As a result of continued

daily protests, on 27 January Prime MinisterMohamed Ghannouchi reshuffled the government, removing all former RCD

members other than himself, and on 6 February the former ruling party was suspended;[133] later, on 9 March, it was dissolved.
[134]
 Following further public protests, Ghannouchi himself resigned on 27 February, and Beji Caid el Sebsi became Prime

Minister.

[edit]Egyptian revolut
Celebrations in Tahrir Square after Omar Suleiman's statement concerning Hosni Mubarak's resignation

Following the uprising in Tunisia and prior to his entry as a central figure in Egyptian politics, potential presidential

candidate Mohamed ElBaradei warned of a 'Tunisia-style explosion' in Egypt.[135]

Protests in Egypt began on 25 January and ran for 18 days. Beginning around midnight on 28 January, the Egyptian

government attempted, somewhat successfully, to eliminate the nation's internet access, in order to inhibit the protesters' ability

to organize through social media.[136]Later that day, as tens of thousands protested on the streets of Egypt's major cities,
President Mubarak dismissed his government, later appointing a new cabinet. Mubarak also appointed the first Vice President

in almost 30 years.[citation needed] On 2 February, pro-Mubarak activists led a counter-protest that turned violent.[citation needed] Many

international journalists complained of harassment and one local journalist was killed in the protests.[citation needed]

On 10 February, Mubarak ceded all Presidential power to Vice President Omar Suleiman, but soon thereafter announced that

he would remain as President until the end of his term.[137] However, protests continued the next day, and Suleiman quickly

announced that Mubarak had resigned from the presidency and transferred power to the Armed Forces of Egypt.[138] The

military immediately dissolved the Egyptian Parliament, suspended the Constitution of Egypt, and promised to lift the nation's

thirty-year 'emergency laws'; it further promised to hold free, open elections within the next six months, or by the end of the year

at the latest.[citation needed]

Various states, along with Egyptian citizens scattered throughout the world, expressed either caution or solidarity with the

protests. A few states in the region continued to support Mubarak.[citation needed]

On 21 February, David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, became the first world leader to visit Egypt since

Mubarak's ouster 10 days prior. A U.K. media blackout was lifted as the prime minister landed in Cairo for a brief five-hour

stopover, hastily added at the start of a planned tour of the Middle East.[139]

[edit]Libyan civil war

Egyptian youth at a Benghazi rally supporting the Libyan protests in February 2011

Main article: 2011 Libyan civil war

Anti-government protests began in Libya on 15 February 2011. By 18 February, the opposition controlled most of Benghazi, the

country's second-largest city. The government dispatched elite troops and mercenaries in an attempt to recapture it, but they

were repelled. It was estimated that at least 6,000 had been killed to that point.

By 20 February, protests had spread to the capital Tripoli, leading to a television address by Seif al-Islam Gaddafi, who warned

the protestors that their country could descend into civil war. The rising death toll, which currently numbers in the thousands,

was drawing international condemnation, resulting in the resignation of several Libyan diplomats and their call for the regime's

dismantlement.

On 26 February 2011, amidst ongoing efforts by demonstrators and rebel forces to wrest control of Tripoli from the jamahiriya,

the opposition set up an interim government in Benghazi to oppose Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi's rule.[140][141] However,

despite initial opposition success, government forces subsequently took back much of the Mediterranean coast.

On 19 March, United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 established a no-fly zone over Libya. Once it was in place and

international forces had commenced bombing pro-Gadaffi assets, rebel forces quickly moved along the northern seaboard,

capturing recently lost Ajdabiya, Brega, and Ra's Lanouf, as well as cities that they hadn't yet held, such as those along the

road to Sirte. However, pro-government forces have since retaken many of the cities, forcing the rebels to withdraw back

toward Ajdabiya in the east, though they have reportedly made gains in the Nafusa Mountains in the west.
 Some Specific Wine and Food Combinations
 
BEEF

 Bourgognon - Red Burgundy, medium Zinfandel, top Pinot Noir or Chianti

 Curry - Big red Rhone, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah
 Hamburger, Plain - Good Beaujolais, light red Zinfandel, Valpolicella or other soft light
red
 Hamburger, The Works - Medium/full Rhone, good Chianti, light/medium Cabernet
 Meat Loaf - See Hamburger, Plain
 Roast Beef - Good Rhone, Bordeaux, Cabernet, Chianti Riserva, Super Tuscan, Rioja
Reserva
 Steak au Poive - Good Bordeaux or Cabernet, Barolo or Barbaresco, Amarone, Super
Tuscan
 Stroganoff - See Hamburgers, Plain
 Teriyaki - Medium Rhone, Medium Zinfandel, Chianti Classico

CHEESE

 Blue cheeses - Chateauneuf du Pape, big Zinfandel, Sauternes, Port, Riesling

 Brie & Camembert - Good red Burgundy/Pinot Noir, Gattinara, & good Rhone red are
traditional, but I find that Brie especially makes all wine taste funny. Choose another
cheese!
 Chèvre - Sancerre, Pouilly Fumé, or other crisp Sauvignon Blanc
 Fontina, Gouda, Bel Paese - Light reds (Valpolicella, Montepulciano, Rioja, Pinot Noir) or
Italian whites
 Stilton - Port, Australian Shiraz, Amarone
 Swiss, Jarlsburg, Gruyere - Rioja, medium Bordeaux, medium Zinfandel, Merlot

COUSCOUS - Spanish white, Riesling, light red Rhone

CURRIES - Full Alsatian/California Gewürztraminer, full Riesling, dry rosé, full beer or ale. See
also: Beef Curries if there is a fair amount of meat in the dish.

FOIS GRAS - French Sauternes is decadently rich and wonderful, Good red Bordeaux

HOT AND SPICY - Beer, blush wines (dry or off-dry rose's), Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc. For a
red, try Beaujolais, a fruity Zinfandel or a fruity Pinot Noir.

JAMBALAYA - Australian Shiraz, big, spicy California Zinfandel

MARSALA AND MADEIRA SAUCES - Light/medium Bordeaux, good Chianti, Merlot, light to
medium Zinfandel, Rioja

MEXICAN - Beer, Barbera, Chianti, drier white Zinfandel or dry rosé, Beaujolais. See also: Hot
and Spicy

ORIENTAL

 Cantonese - Beer, light Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Vouvray

 Hunan, Szechuan, Thai, Indian, Malaysian - Full beer or ale, Full Alsatian/California
Gewürztraminer, full Riesling, dry rosé, Pinot Gris, Vouvray
  Sushi/Sashimi - Very dry Champagne, Mosel Riesling Kabinet, Alsatian Gewürztraminer
or Riesling, Sake, Beer, Pinot Gris

PASTA - It's hard to believe, but this is a very controversial subject.

 Red sauce - Requires a red wine, preferably Italian. The disagreement here is whether a
light, medium or full-bodied red is appropriate. Try Barbera , Cabernet Franc,
Montepulciano (d'Abruzzo or Rosso Conero), fruity Sangiovese (Chianti, Vino Nobile or
Scansano Morellino). It gets worse with:
 White sauces - Some would only serve a white wine, preferably Italian (Soave, Bianco di
Custoza, Orvieto or Pinot Grigio). Some would only serve a light or medium red
(Valpolicella, light Chianti, unoaked Barbera. Prosecco works well. Others would only serve
a full-bodied red. Most red wine advocates would consider a white wine with clam sauce,
however. Confused? So am I! Drink what you like, but consider a red wine, even with a
white sauce.
 Rich, heavy cream sauce -Try a crisp Pinot Bianco or Sauvignon Blanc from northern
Italy.
 Clams, mussels, scungilli, calamari, shrimp, crab or lobster - Need a crisp
light/medium, low alcohol white such as Gavi, Verdicchio or the sparkling Prosecco. Red
wines generally don't work here.
 Pesto - Unoaked Sauvignon Blanc, Gavi, Arneis

PAELLA - Light/medium Spanish red, light Zinfandel, good Beaujolais, light Bordeaux

PIZZA - Calls for acidity to match the Sauce and ripe, sweet fruit for the cheese: Chianti,
Barbera, medium Zinfandel (red, of course), Dolcetto and a light/medium Australian Shiraz. With
Sausage or pepperoni: big dark southern Italian reds like Salice Salentino or Primitivo. With
peppers: try an herbal Cabernet Franc!

POULTRY

 Chicken Cacciatore - Light red Rhone, light Chianti, light red Zinfandel
 Coq au Vin - Good red Burgundy, full Cabernet, Barolo or red Zinfandel
 Duck a l'orange - Riesling, medium red Burgundy (Pinot Noir) or Rhone, light/medium
red Zinfandel
 Fried Chicken - Beaujolais, Valpolicella, Chianti, Sauvignon Blanc
 Goose - Big Rhone, good red Burgundy or Pinot Noir, medium/full Zinfandel
 Partridge or Quail - Good red Burgundy or Pinot Noir, medium Cabernet, good Chianti or
Merlot
 Pheasant - Good red Bordeaux, top Cabernet, top Chianti
 Turkey - For that special Turkey dinner, a light to medium red is perfect. Consider a St.
Emilion or Pomerol, a good red Burgundy or Pinot Noir, a medium Zinfandel, a sturdier
Beaujolais Grand Cru or a Chinon. White wine is fine but you need a full flavored white
Burgundy or Chardonnay. A flavorful dry Riesling or Gewürztraminer would also work very
well.

QUICHE - Light Chardonnay, Macon, Alsatian Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Vouvray or Chenin Blanc

SEAFOOD

 Coquilles St. Jacques - White Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blanc, Vouvray or Chenin Blanc
 Crab - White Rhone or Bordeaux, Semillon, light Chardonnay, light Sauvignon Blanc (Loire
or California)
  Lobster - Sauvignon Blanc if using a simple preparation (drawn butter & lemon).
Otherwise, try Viognier, Meursault or other fine white Burgundy, Vouvray Sec.
 Oysters - French Chablis is traditional. Try a Spanish Albariño, white Graves, Muscadet or
Sauvignon Blanc based wine from the Loire,California, or New Zealand.
 Scallops - Light Chardonnay, Macon, Orvieto, dry rosé, Sauvignon Blanc (Loire,California,
or New Zealand), Viognier
 Shad with Roe - Rich Chardonnay, fine white Burgundy, white Rhone
 Sole - Good Macon or Chablis, light/medium Chardonnay, white Graves, Sauvignon Blanc,
Sancerre or Pouilly Fumé
 Shrimp Tempura - White Graves, light Chardonnay, Alsatian Riesling
 Smokey flavored seafood of any type - Viognier

SOUFFLÉ - Beaujolais, Valpolicella, light red Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc

VEAL BIRDS - Medium Zinfandel, Bordeaux, medium Cabernet

VENISON - Good red Bordeaux, big Cabernet, big red Rhone, big Zinfandel, Barolo, Barbaresco,
Super Tuscan