Syria tells public to stay home as the Opposition called for rallies

April 29, 2011, 3: 34 pm EDT by Massoud a. Derhally

April 29 (Bloomberg)--the Ministry of the Interior the Syria warned its citizens not step to organize demonstrations and "contribute to the stability and security" of the country as pledged to defy a deadly repression and continue protests by activists.

The Syrians said Ministry should "refrain from exercising rallies or demonstrations and sit-ins, under a title pending approval of" of the authorities, according to a statement carried by managed by the Government of Syria Arab News Agency. "The laws will be applied to serve the security of citizens and the stability of the homeland", the Ministry said.Demonstrators will likely challenge the ban because "nothing important was held to appease the anger of the people", Abdul - Karim Rihawi, head of the Syrian human rights League, said in a telephone interview from Damascus late yesterday. The opposition that Muslim Brotherhood called on people to demonstrate today, Al-Arabiya television reported. Anti-Government protests have intensified after the Friday prayer since the beginning of the agitation in the workplace March.The last exercised repression since last Friday prayers, especially in the southern region of Dara, pushed the number of deaths throughout the country since the middle of March to more than 450, says organization the national Syria for human rights. The demonstrations are part of a wave of popular movements who unseated leaders in Egypt and Tunisia, violent reactions pricked in Libya and Bahrain and oil prices have helped grow more than 20 per cent this year.More than 1,000 people were arrested across the country since the latest demonstrations began on April 22, with the total number of detentions since unrest began at least 2,000 according to Mahmoud Merhiwho heads the Arab Organization for Human Rights.European PressureEuropean nations have intensified pressure on the Syria, summoning the ambassadors and pushing for an organization of the United Nations vote to protest against violence. In New York, China and the directed Russia opposition blocked an initiative on 27 April by the United States and its European allies to the Security Council of the United Nations to condemn the attacks of the Syrian Government on peaceful demonstrators.United Kingdom Foreign Secretary William Hague also removed invitation of Syrian Ambassador to marriage of today of Prince William and Kate Middleton of the London.European Union officials will meet in Brussels today to discuss the Syria. Germany supports sanctions on the direction of the Syria, including restrictions on travel and financial freezes, German Government spokesman Steffen Seibert told journalists in Berlin yesterday.

-Editors: Ben Holland, Karl Maier.

To contact the reporters on this story: Massoud a. Derhally to Beirut, to the Lebanon to the mderhally@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Andrew j. Barden at barden@bloomberg.net

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Castro welcomes "new generation" of leaders of Cuba, but called old guard - Christian Science Monitor

Mexico City

The theme of the sixth Congress of the party in Cuba seemed clear enough: President Raul Castro, opened the Summit Saturday saying that a new generation of Cuban politicians was necessary to ensure that the Socialist Revolution.

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Even former Cuban leader Fidel Castro seemed to embrace the message. "The new generation is called to correct and change everything without hesitation that must be corrected and changed", he wrote in the journal of State Granma.

But at the time where as the wrapped Congress Tuesday, the new leaders have been appointed to the Communist Party, and none of the three top positions went to any person under the age of 78, leaving the old guard in power and thwart these hungry Cubans of a political reorganization.

"Raul Castro said they had to bring new leaders, bring the new generation," says Wayne Smith, senior fellow at the Center for International policy in Washington and former American diplomat in Cuba. "But he appointed its long date no. 2 No. 2".

The Congress is important because Fidel Castro was appointed not the head of the party for the first time since its formation in 1965. Instead, Raul Castro will formally assume this role.

Cuban watchers were anxious to see if a young leader could be chosen as a position for a long time of Raul Castro as Second Secretary. But the veteran José Ramón Machado Ventura, 80, will take place, while Ramiro Valdes will resume the No. 3 role. Both have worked with the Castro brothers since at least the 1950s.

Raul Castro discussed the apparent contradiction in his closing speech. "We have kept several veterans of the historic generation, and it is logical from the consequences of the errors that have been made in this area," he was quoted by the Associated Press said in his closing speech. "These have stolen us a rear bench of mature substitutes with enough experience to take on the top positions of the country.".

Two young politicians were appointed to executive positions, including Marino Murillo, who oversees economic reform in Cuba. They could later groomed first positions. And even only rhetoric is a change that Mr. Smith sees as important.

"" At least they speak of the need to highlight the young generation, and do not have the same leaders decade after decade "says Mr. Smith." "" At least it is a sign encouraging that [Raul Castro] is talking about. ?

The Congress was the first in 14 years and comes in the midst of the economic changes that Raul Castro has made, including the announcement last fall that half million jobs a million State will be reduced. Delegates debated some 300 economic proposals, but few details were released. Instead, they stressed their commitment to future changes.

"It could have been a Congress that declared new policies with annexes to them... who appointed a bunch of new people," said Philip Peters, an expert at the Institute of Lexington from Cuba. "Instead of this he was a Congress who expressed commitments for future action."

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