Tunisians mourn protest victims as small demonstrations continue

By the CNN Wire Staff

January 23, 2011 -- Updated 1114 GMT (1914 HKT)

President Ben Ali was ousted in a rebellion a week ago after ruling the north African nation for 23 years.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• A three-day mourning period ends Sunday
• Interim PM Mohammed Ghannouchi says he will leave politics after elections
• Small protests break out in the Tunisian capital

Tunis, Tunisia (CNN) -- Tunisia on Sunday ended a three-day mourning period for dozens of people killed in protests that ousted the country's long-term president.

As the mourning period came to a close, small protests broke out in the capital, Tunis.

Protesters have decried a new government formed in the wake of President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali's ouster.

They have called it a sham, and demanded that officials with connections to the old guard be fired.

The nation's interim prime minister said that his country would hold its first free democratic elections since gaining independence and vowed to leave politics after the ballot.

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"We want to make the next elections the first transparent and legitimate elections since independence," Tunisian Interim Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi said Friday.

Ghannouchi said he will retire from politics after the elections are held.

Tunisia gained independence from France in 1956.

Ghannouchi said upcoming political reforms would "scrap all undemocratic laws including laws involving political parties, the elections and the anti-terrorism law that was abused by the former regime."

"I lived like all Tunisians, in pain and fear" under the former president, Ghannouchi said.

Ben Ali was ousted in a rebellion a week ago after ruling the north African nation for 23 years.

Ghannouchi resigned from his ruling party this week and was appointed interim Prime Minister by the interim President Fouad Mebazaa.

Ben Ali's Constitutional Democratic Rally's central committee was dissolved last week. All Cabinet members who belonged to the party have quit it.

The party, known as the RCD, suffered a major blow earlier this week when Ghannouchi and Mebazaa submitted their resignations from the party, though they remained in the government, Tunis TV reported.

His ouster followed weeks of protests over what discontented Tunisians said were poor living conditions, high unemployment, government corruption and repression.

More than 100 people were killed in protests that followed over the past five weeks, the United Nations said.

Australia floods: 'Inland sea' moves across Victoria

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Matthew Vitagliano, from Victoria, says his house was swamped in water

Australia floods

• Brisbane calls on 'Blitz spirit'
• Bryant: Floods fall-out
• Queensland's soggy soils revealed
• Barrier reef braces for flood impact

A giant inland sea of floodwater, 55 miles (90km) long, will spread across the Australian state of Victoria over the next 10 days, officials say.

Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan said the floods would rank as one of the most costly natural disasters in the country's history.

More than 30 people have been killed since flooding began last month.

In Queensland, nine people are still missing after floods tore through the towns of Toowomba and Grantham.

The Victoria State Emergency Service has issued evacuation warnings for communities east of the city of Kerang, which remains cut off.

In all, more than 70 communities have been affected. In the city of Swan Hill, people have been building makeshift levees to hold back the Murray River, which is expected to carry the bulk of the floodwaters as they run off over the next 10 days.

These are the worst floods in northern parts of Victoria since records began 130 years ago.

Sandbags and misery

"There is no doubt the recent floods will rank as one of the most costly natural disasters in our history," said Mr Swan, who is also Australia's treasurer.

The impact of the floods was worse than a series of natural disasters in the 1970s and wildfires in 2009 in which 173 people died, he said in his first economic note of the year.

Further north, in Queensland, residents of the state capital, Brisbane, have again been putting out sandbags as high tides threaten to inflict more misery on low-lying suburbs.

The city is still clearing up after floodwaters two weeks ago reached a peak of 4.46m (14.6ft).

The search for the bodies of flood victims is continuing.

The Australian navy has been trying to clear the Brisbane River of tonnes of debris including cars, parts of buildings and boats, says the BBC's Nick Bryant in Sydney.

The floods are expected to pose a threat for another week, our correspondent says.

Economists estimate that the flooding in Queensland and Victoria will cost at least 3bn Australian dollars (£1.8bn) in lost coal exports and agricultural production.

Reconstruction could cost an additional 20bn Australian dollars, the ANZ Bank says.

The Queensland Premier's Flood Relief Appeal has so far raised 135m Australian dollars.

Israel findings on Gaza flotilla raid due

By Jon Donnison BBC News, Jerusalem

The Mavi Marmara and other vessels were intercepted last May by Israeli navy commandos

An Israeli inquiry into a military raid on aid ships trying to reach Gaza last May is due to publish its first findings.

The raid, in which nine Turkish activists were killed, attracted widespread international condemnation.

The report is expected to broadly exonerate the actions of the Israeli navy.

A separate UN enquiry earlier this year said the navy had shown an "unacceptable level of brutality".

The Free Gaza Flotilla, which had over 600 pro-Palestinian activists on board, was trying to break Israel's blockade of the territory when it was intercepted by Israeli navy commandos.

Those on board the flotilla said they were savagely attacked.

Israel says its forces acted in self-defence, and set up its own enquiry.

The initial panel, with an average age of over 85, has been sitting for seven months - although one 93-year-old member died mid-way through.

According to leaks in the Israeli press, its initial findings will largely clear the navy of wrong doing.

If that happens, Israel's critics, for whom the internal investigation has little credibility, will likely call it a whitewash.

Caravan rally reaches Tunisia's capital

Protesters have not been satisfied by the prime minister's pledge to quit after elections

A protest march against Tunisia's interim government has reached the capital, adding to pressure on Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi.

Some 1,000 demonstrators from the rural area where protests against Tunisia's authoritarian rule began had joined the "Caravan of Liberation" to Tunis.

They want the resignation of Mr Ghannouchi, who served under ousted President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, and has pledged to quit after elections.

A vote is expected within six months.

The main trade union, the General Tunisian Workers' Union (UGTT), has backed the caravan protest, which set off on Saturday from Menzel Bouzaiane - the town where the first victim of the uprising was killed by security forces in December.

"The aim of this caravan is to make the government fall," said Rabia Slimane, a teacher taking part in the caravan protest.

A final day of mourning is being observed on Sunday for those killed in the unrest that led to last week's toppling of Mr Ben Ali, amid speculation as to whether Tunisian unrest could spread to other countries.

In Algeria, police broke up an anti-government demonstration on Saturday by about 300 protesters calling for greater freedoms. There were also protests in Yemen against the rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Perceived corruption

Mr Ghannouchi has left Mr Ben Ali's ruling Democratic Constitutional Rally (RCD) party and insisted that figures from the previous regime who have remained in positions of power - including the ministers of defence, interior, finance and foreign affairs - have "clean hands".

But this has failed to satisfy many opposition figures and protesters.

Continue reading the main story

Fall from power

• 17 Dec: Man sets himself on fire in Sidi Bouzid over lack of jobs, sparking protests
• 24 Dec: Protester shot dead in central Tunisia
• 28 Dec: Protests spread to Tunis
• 8-10 Jan: Dozens of deaths reported in crackdown on protests
• 12 Jan: Interior minister sacked
• 13 Jan: President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali promises to step down in 2014
• 14 Jan: Mr Ben Ali dissolves parliament after new mass rally, then steps down and flees
• 15 Jan: Parliamentary Speaker Foued Mebazaa sworn in as interim president

On Saturday, policemen - who had defended the regime of the ousted president - were among those protesting, which the BBC's Magdi Abdelhadi in the Tunisian capital says marked a very dramatic development.

The official death toll during the unrest leading to Mr Ben Ali's flight was 78, though the UN says more than 100 people died. Authorities have promised to investigate the deaths of protesters.

Primary school teachers were reported to be planning a strike against the current government, which could hamper plans to reopen schools and universities this week. They have been closed since the final days of the unrest.

Protests against Mr Ben Ali's government began in December, driven by economic grievances and resentment about political repression.

Particular anger was directed at the former president's family, widely despised for its conspicuous consumption and perceived corruption.

As the protests continued to escalate, Mr Ben Ali and his wife fled to Saudi Arabia on 14 January.

Tunisian officials say they have arrested 33 members of Mr Ben Ali's family. On Saturday, AFP quoted a Canadian officials as saying that one of the ex-president's brothers-in-law had fled to Montreal.

Honduras policemen arrested for robbing bank

Police in Honduras say six of their own officers have been arrested for allegedly trying to rob a bank.

Prosecutors say the policemen forced their way into the bank in the capital, Tegucigalpa and tied up the security guards at gunpoint.

A passer-by raised the alarm and police fought a gun battle with the alleged robbers, injuring one of them.

A police spokesman said the six were "bad apples" who had sullied the name of the force.

He said the agents had already been suspended, and would face the full force of the law.

Security Minister Oscar Alvarez said he would ensure the fight against corruption within the police force was sped up.

More Anglican priests to join Catholic Church

Three former Anglican bishops were ordained as Catholic priests on 15 January

Seven Anglican priests and 300 members of six congregations are to join a new section of the Catholic Church, the Catholic Diocese of Brentwood says.

The move involves three parishes in Essex, and three in east London.

It is the largest influx to date into the Ordinariate, which Pope Benedict established for Church of England members unhappy over issues such as the ordination of women.

Three former Anglican bishops have been appointed to lead the Ordinariate.

Ordinariates allow Anglicans opposed to developments including women bishops, gay clergy and same-sex blessings to convert to Rome while maintaining some of their traditions.

The Bishop of Brentwood, the Right Reverend Thomas McMahon, said the Anglicans were unhappy about the church's general move away from the traditions it once shared with Catholics, but described the decision as "a very big move".

"They relinquish their present post, a very big thing, leaving some of their people which brings heartache, into a fairly unknown future, as this ordinariate has only just been brought up.

“Start Quote

I hope in some cases the Church of England will be generous and there will be some sharing of Anglican premises”

End Quote Father Keith Newton

"It calls for huge faith and huge trust because the future isn't that certain," he said.

Three vicars in Chelmsford, Hockley and Benfleet are among those men being trained to become Catholic deacons. A seventh retired Anglican vicar is also converting.

The Vatican will allow them to maintain a distinct religious identity and spiritual heritage within the Ordinariate.

According to a timetable set by the Roman Catholic bishops of England and Wales, former Anglican clergy and groups of worshippers wishing to enter the Ordinariate will be enrolled as candidates at the beginning of Lent in early March.

They will subsequently be received into the Roman Catholic Church and confirmed. This is likely to take place during Holy Week (17-23 April).

Where the new congregations will worship has yet to be decided.

"It will be on a case-by-case basis," said Father Keith Newton, the former Anglican bishop who now heads the Ordinariate.

"I hope in some cases the Church of England will be generous and there will be some sharing of Anglican premises. But I think normally our groups will be worshipping in Catholic churches," he added.

However, that does not mean that worshippers of the Ordinariate will be "mingled in" with Catholic congregations.

Funded by donations

"They will have a special service in their own right," said Father McMahon.

The Ordinariate will be funded initially by donations but its priests will not receive a salary, as they did in the Anglican church.

"We are hoping they will find some part-time work as chaplains in schools and hospitals," said Father MacMahon. "We have already had some offers from charities."

Former Anglican bishops Andrew Burnham, Keith Newton and John Broadhurst were ordained into the group at Westminster Cathedral on 15 January.

At the time Father Newton estimated that about 50 Anglican clergy might join the Roman Catholic church - along with some members of their congregations.

Haiti's Preval: 'Baby Doc' Duvalier 'must face justice'

Jean-Claude Duvalier is staying in a hotel in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince

Haiti's ex-leader Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier had the right to return to the country but must now face justice, President Rene Preval says.

Mr Preval was making his first comments on the issue since Mr Duvalier's unexpected return from exile last week.

Mr Duvalier has been charged with theft and misappropriation of funds during his 1971-1986 rule.

He is also being sued for torture and other crimes against humanity. He has said he is ready to face "persecution".

In a news conference on Friday, Mr Duvalier called for national reconciliation, claiming his return from France had been prompted by the earthquake that devastated Haiti last year and his desire to help rebuild the country.

On Saturday, Mr Preval said that according to the Haitian constitution, no-one could be forced to remain in exile.

"Duvalier had the right to return to the country, but under the constitution, he also must face justice," he said at a news conference during a visit by the Dominican president.

"If Duvalier is not in prison now, it is because he has not yet been tried."

Mr Duvalier is barred from leaving the country pending the outcome of an investigation into his alleged crimes, Mr Preval said.

Swiss funds

Mr Duvalier arrived on the day Haiti was supposed to hold a second round of elections to choose a successor to Mr Preval.

Jean-Claude 'Baby Doc' Duvalier

• Takes over presidency aged 19 after death of his father Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier in 1971
• Calls himself "president-for-life"
• Popular protests force him to flee to France in 1986
• Accused of corruption and rights abuses that prompted more than 100,000 Haitians to flee the country
• Asks Haitian people for forgiveness for "errors" in 2007 radio interview

• Baby Doc's return evokes dark past

The vote has been postponed because of a dispute over who came second in the first round.

Official results said it was Jude Celestin, a protege of Mr Preval's, but international observers have urged Haiti to revise the result in favour of singer Michel "Sweet Mickey" Martelly, who was placed third.

Some have voiced concern that Mr Duvalier's return could add to the political uncertainty.

One theory offered by analysts and lawyers to explain Mr Duvalier's return is that he was trying to stave off attempts by Switzerland to donate to Haiti nearly $6m (£3.7) frozen in Swiss bank accounts.

Under a new Swiss law that comes into force on 1 February, the funds can be released even if Haiti has not made a legal move to get them.

Mr Duvalier wrongly predicted that he might be able to avoid prosecution, observers say.

"If Duvalier goes back to Haiti and is not prosecuted, then he could say 'I was available for prosecution, and you didn't prosecute me: Give me my money back,'" said Reed Brody, a lawyer at Human Rights Watch.