NPR 2011-02-14

The new military rulers of Egypt announced today they've dissolved parliament and suspended the constitution, the main demands from the opposition 1 that successfully drove President Hosni Mubarak from power. The Higher Military Council also promised it would govern for only six months, or until elections could take place, and it will hold a referendum on constitutional amendments 2. Meanwhile, people are still gathering 3 in Cairo's Tahrir Square. They are arguing about their next step. Should they leave the square as the army wants or stay to keep the pressure on the military leaders. Muhammad Shahin says the Egyptian people want more of a voice in making the transition to democracy.

"We don't want the army to take over. We want them just to stand guard as the people wait and demand, and the army to execute a demand."

The caretaker government held its first meeting today. Before it began, workers removed a giant picture of Mubarak from the meeting room.

Anti-government protesters gathered in the capital of Yemen for a third day. They are calling for political reforms and the resignation of their president who's been in power for 30 years. He has said that he will step down in 2013 and has invited the opposition for talks. Yemen is the poorest of the Arab countries. About 40% of the population lives on less than two dollars a day.

The head of the Joint 4 Chiefs of Staff is in the Middle East. Admiral Mike Mullen arrived in Israel after a visit to Jordan. Mullen is to meet tomorrow with Israeli Prime Minister Banjamin Netanyahu for talks reportedly aimed at reassuring 5 Israel of US support at a time of political upheaval 6 in the region.

Iraqi officials now say at least 36 people died in an attack against Shiite pilgrims yesterday. A suicide bomber 7 struck at a bus depot 8 near Samarra where pilgrims had gathered for a religious ceremony.

On the day before President Obama releases his 2012 budget plan, Republicans are calling for immediate 9 budget cuts. But NPR's Allison Keyes reports the White House budget chief says the plan will cut the nation's deficit 10 in half.

White House budget director Jacob Lew says that reduction will occur by the end of the president's term. Lew says the 2012 budget will reduce the deficit by 1.1 trillion dollars over 10 years. The president has said his budget freezes annual domestic spending for the next five years, but it will also invest in programs that create jobs and improve schools. But House Speaker John Boehner told NBC's "Meet the Press" that Mr. Obama's budget will continue to destroy jobs.

"What's really dangerous is if we continue to do nothing and allow the status quo to stay in place. When are we gonna get serious about cutting spending?"

Boehner send a letter to the president Sunday, urging Mr. Obama to support Republican efforts for deep cuts in spending for this year. Allison Keyes, NPR News, Washington.

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Hundreds of thousands of women took to the streets in many Italian cities today to call for the resignation of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi embroiled 11 in a sex scandal. NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports the demonstrators reject being labeled puritans. They say they are demanding their dignity be respected.

Rome's massive Piazza 12 del Popolo was packed and crowds of women filled surrounding streets. The rally followed by a few days Prime Minister Berlusconi's indictment 13 by Milan prosecutors 14 who accused him of having paid for sex with a minor 15 and for abuse of office. Berlusconi denies the charges, accusing the magistrates 16 of being communists trying to topple his government. Italian newspapers have been filled with leaked wiretaps revealing tales of orgies at Berlusconi's private homes and payments of large sums of cash to bevies 17 of would-be showgirls. Demonstrators in Rome, Milan and other big cities carried banners charging the prime minister disgraces Italy. Speakers ranged from left to right. Giulia Buongiorno, an MP formerly 18 in the ruling coalition 19, slammed Berlusconi for choosing his party candidates for their sexual expertise 20 rather than their political experience. Sylvia Poggioli, NPR News, Rome.

Voters in Switzerland today rejected a proposal to ban army firearms in homes. There's a tradition of Swiss men keeping their army rifles after they've completed military service. Churches and women's groups had called for tighter gun laws, saying restrictions 21 would reduce domestic violence and suicide. Nearly 56% of the voters rejected the initiative. Switzerland is among the most-armed nations in the world with more guns per capita than almost any other country in the world except Finland, Yemen and the United States.