1. A The Daily Reflector, Sunday, January 15, 2012
World
GUATEMALA CITY BUCHAREST, RoMAnIA MoSCoW MEXICo CITY
New leader pledges ‘iron fist’ Romanians protest for 3rd day Marine’s family kidnapped, slain
Retired Gen. Otto Perez Molina took Romanian police fired tear gas during Mexican officials say they have arrested
office Saturday as Guatemala’s president, an anti-government protest Saturday, the four men in the kidnapping and slaying of
promising to quash a wave of drug-traf- third consecutive day of demonstrations a marine officer, his two sons and his wife
ficking and violence that has overwhelmed against austerity cuts and falling living in the western state of Guerrero.
the country. standards. The Secretary of the Navy’s office said
Perez won over voters by pledging to More than 1,000 protesters rallied in a statement that the victims disap-
crush criminality with an “iron fist.” in Bucharest’s main University Square, peared on Dec. 16. One of the children
Mexican drug cartels have seized large blocking traffic. After seven hours, they also is a marine officer and the other is an
swatches of territory in Guatemala, which refused to leave, and scuffled several times enlisted marine. Several of the suspects
has one of the world’s highest homicide with riot police who then used tear gas. arrested Friday have confessed to kidnap-
rates. Several police officers sustained injuries ping them at a fake checkpoint and kill-
Perez, 61, is the first military officer after they were hit by stones, local news ing them.
elected as Guatemalan president since reports said. The ambulance service said The Navy Secretary’s statement on Sat-
the end of a military government 25 years nine people had been treated for injuries. urday said that the four men had been
ago. He served in that administration as Protesters yelled anti-government slogans seized along with several firearms, am-
director of intelligence. and called for early elections. the associated press munition and a set of handcuffs. It did
His tough campaign resonated in a Protests began after a popular health An ACTIvIST of the russian liberal not say if the men were associated with a
country of more than 13 million people official resigned Tuesday because he op- opposition is dressed as a magician, particular criminal group. Investigators
where murders are committed at a rate of posed government proposed health re- mocking central election commission are searching for the bodies.
41 for every 100,000 residents. forms. chief Vladimir churov during a protest. From Associated Press reports
U.S. Marine video not likely to derail Afghan talks
BY DEB RIECHMAnn Taliban detainees out of the used in many ways to un-
the associated press “... I’m hopeful U.S. prison in Guantanamo dermine what we are trying
Bay, Cuba. to do in Afghanistan and
KABUL, Afghanistan that this will not Relations with Karzai the possibility of reconcili-
— A 39-second video pur- have any effect have been shaky, and the ation,” Panetta said.
porting to show Marines two nations have yet to sign But Afghan officials
urinating on dead bodies on the peace a long-term partnership and others said the quick
in Afghanistan is strain- process.” agreement that will govern responses by all sides had
ing U.S.-Afghan relations the presence of U.S. troops helped contain the damage.
but is not expected to undo Abdul Mujahid in the country after 2014 “As all three sides — the
months of work aimed at peace council member when most foreign troops United States, the Afghan
brokering peace with the will have gone home or government and the Tal-
Taliban. at the bodies and gleefully moved into support roles. iban — have all condemned
The images have not quips, “Have a good day, Initially there were con- this act, I’m hopeful that
sparked widespread anti- buddy.” cerns that outrage over this will not have any ef-
U.S. protests and Afghan The video emerged at a the issue would spiral into fect on the peace process,”
officials said one battle- delicate time in relations a scandal like the one in Abdul Hakim Mujahid, a
field abuse cannot derail among the United States, 2004 over the release of member of the peace coun-
the peace process, which Afghanistan’s elected gov- photos showing a group of the associated press
cil and the Taliban’s former
has gained momentum in ernment and the Taliban in- U.S. military police abus- envoy to the United Na-
SECRETARY of STATE HILLARY RoDHAM CLInTon
recent months with news surgency. The United States ing prisoners at the Abu tions, said Saturday.
expresses her dismay at emerging reports of U.s. Marines
that the Taliban will open a is trying to foster peace Ghraib prison in Iraq. desecrating the bodies of taliban fighters.
Still, the incident makes
political office in Qatar. talks between President Ha- Violent protests broke it harder for U.S.-led co-
U.S. military officials mid Karzai’s government out across Afghanistan af- alition troops to gain the
have sternly condemned and the Taliban. Recent ter a Florida pastor burned streets of Mazar-i-Sharif in promised an exhaustive in- trust of Afghan villagers as
the alleged acts of four Ma- statements by senior U.S. a Quran in March 2011, northern Afghanistan and vestigation, expressed con- they try to secure gains on
rines who appear to be des- and Taliban officials sug- fueling the down-with- overran a U.N. compound, cern that the fragile peace ef- the battlefield, and it gives
ecrating the bodies of three gest the possibility of some America sentiment already killing three U.N. staff fort could be jeopardized by Karzai more leeway to balk
men lying in the dirt. On trust-building measures in simmering in Afghan soci- members and four Nepal- the images that he described at U.S. demands on critical
the video, which appeared the near future, such as the ety. In one protest in April ese guards. as “utterly deplorable.” war issues, including nego-
on YouTube on Wednesday, opening of the Taliban of- 2011, thousands of dem- U.S. Secretary of Defense “The danger is that this tiations on the partnership
one of the men looks down fice and the transfer of some onstrators poured into the Leon Panetta, who has kind of video can be mis- agreement.
Egypt’s ElBaradei ends presidential bid
BY SARAH EL DEEB process. ElBaradei’s decision keep the move from helping regime and its own power “To have total change,
the associated press But in a statement Satur- could energize the anti- fuel antimilitary protests in place. They fear that we must work from out-
day, ElBaradei made clear military protest movement, on the Jan. 25 anniversary the Muslim Brotherhood, side the system,” ElBara-
CAIRO — Egypt’s re- that he saw no hope that the which has been in disarray of the start of the uprising which is poised to domi- dei said in a video released
form leader Mohamed presidential election due by and has failed to present a that toppled Mubarak, the nate the new parliament, later Saturday. He said he
ElBaradei withdrew from the end of June would bring unified alternative path to military council asked El- will cede the military’s would work to unify youth
the presidential race Satur- a real end to the military’s a transition to democracy. Baradei not to announce continued influence over groups, reclaim the goals of
day, saying a fair election is rule, and he added a sharp In a meeting with ElBara- his decision until later, a the executive in return for a the revolution and address
impossible under the mili- criticism that the military dei after his announcement person close to ElBaradei freer hand in writing a new social justice, freedom and
tary’s grip nearly a year af- has behaved as if Mubarak’s Saturday, some activists said, speaking on condition constitution. economic development.
ter Hosni Mubarak’s ouster. regime never fell. expressed hope that he was of anonymity to discuss a
Many fear that the ruling
generals will push through
“I had said from the start
that my conscience will not
now stepping forward to
become a forceful, crystal-
private interaction.
Many of those who or- PICK UP YOUR
a candidate of their own to allow me to run for presi- izing leader for the move- ganized the protests feel
preserve their power.
The Nobel Peace laure-
dent or any official posi-
tion unless there is a real
ment.
In an apparent attempt to
that the military is keeping
the structure of Mubarak’s
FREE COPY
ate’s pullout is a slap to the
military and the credibil-
democratic framework,
that upholds the essence of
OF THE
ity of its plans for Egypt’s
transition. He was seen as
democracy and not only its
form,” he said. FEBRUARY
the most pro-revolution The military council,
of the candidates and the headed by Mubarak’s de-
strongest advocate of deep fense minister of 20 years,
change in a country long “has insisted on going
under autocratic rule. His down the same old path, as
participation, therefore, if no revolution took place
gave a degree of legitimacy and no regime has fallen,”
to the military-run election he said.
Big Daddy Motorsports
Big Daddy Motorsports
and Pecheles Toyota Her
February 201
2 GR EEN VIL
MAGAZ
LE, NO RTH
CA RO LIN
A
INE
CO MP LIM
EN TARY
presents the...
present the ...
Baby, it’s e!
BUDWEISER 250’ TRUCK TRUCK
BUDWEISER 250' TRACTOR cold outs
id
PULL ANDTRACTOR PULL
and FARM MACHINERY SHOW
at the
at the
Senator Bob Martin
Senator Bob Martin
Agriculture Center
Agriculture Center
Williamston, NC
January 20th 21st
Pit Party 6:00 PM
Doors open 6:30
Ride The Monster Truck For FREE! h stays
Rosa Creec eacoat
in a p
Show starts 7:30
Show starts 7:30 PM toasty
Tickets $1200 in advance (or $1500 day of show)
Friday night is Kid’s Night...
Kids 6 and under are admitted FREE
Advance tickets available: The Inn of Moratoc in Williamston; Lee Chevrolet in
Washington; Pitt Road of Elizabeth City; Duck Thru #9 in Windsor; Duck Thru #15
in Greenville; Leon Nixon’s Catering of Edenton; Davidson Motorsports of Ahoskie The Daily Reflector
For more information, call 252-330-8077
http://bigdaddymotorsports.org.tripod.com