DUBAI, Nov 30 (Reuters) – The United Arab Emirates on
Wednesday set up a 10 billion dirham ($2.7 billion) fund to help
pay low-income citizens’ debts and announced plans to raise
wages of some state employees, which may support its economy but
also increase the fiscal burden.

President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan also ordered a
doubling of salaries of some state employees in the judiciary,
health and education sectors from January to mark the 40th
anniversary of the founding of the UAE, state news agency WAM
said.

DUBAI (Reuters) – After months of evasion, procrastination and defiance, Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh had one more surprise up his sleeve: he signed a Gulf accord which, on paper at least, stripped him of his powers.

Yemenis now turn to just how the deal will be implemented to secure the dismantling of the rule of the 69-year-old whose iron grip enmeshed his family, friends and allies in the nation’s military, business and economy.

DUBAI (Reuters) – After months of evasion, procrastination and defiance, Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh had one more surprise up his sleeve: he signed a Gulf accord which, on paper at least, stripped him of his powers.

Yemenis now turn to just how the deal will be implemented to secure the dismantling of the rule of the 69-year-old whose iron grip enmeshed his family, friends and allies in the nation’s military, business and economy.

DUBAI (Reuters) – For many Arabs, the humiliating capture and killing of Muammar Gaddafi, the longest-serving Arab leader, is a lesson to other tyrants in a region that has overthrown three long-serving rulers this year.

But some said on Friday that Libya would have been better off if its former leader had been given a fair trial for abuses committed during his 42-year rule, which ended when rebels captured the capital Tripoli in August.

CAIRO (Reuters) – U.S. actor Sean Penn joined thousands of Egyptian activists who packed downtown Cairo on Friday demanding that military rulers speed up the transfer of power to civilians and end emergency laws once used by Hosni Mubarak against his opponents.

Local media said Penn, holding an Egyptian flag, walked with Egyptian actor Khaled el-Nabawi in Tahrir Square, where Egyptians demonstrated in what they dubbed as “Reclaiming the Revolution” day amid growing discontent over the way military rulers had managed the transitional period.

CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt will start parliamentary elections on Nov. 21, Al Arabiya Television and the Al-Ahram newspaper reported on Saturday, the country’s first vote since a popular uprising toppled President Hosni Mubarak in February after 30 years of autocratic rule.

Al-Ahram quoted Egypt’s election commission head, Abdel Moez Ibrahim, as saying voting for the lower house, the People’s Assembly, will be held in three stages starting on Nov. 21 and ending on Jan. 3. Voting for the upper house, the Shura Council, will begin on Jan. 22, 2012 and finish on March 4.

CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt will start parliamentary elections on November 21, Al Arabiya Television and the Al-Ahram newspaper reported on Saturday, the country’s first vote since a popular uprising toppled President Hosni Mubarak in February after 30 years of autocratic rule.

Al-Ahram quoted Egypt’s election commission head, Abdel Moez Ibrahim, as saying voting for the lower house, the People’s Assembly, will be held in three stages starting on November 21 and ending on January 3. Voting for the upper house, the Shura Council, will begin on January 22, 2012 and finish on March 4.

CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt will start parliamentary elections on November 21, Al Arabiya Television and the Al-Ahram newspaper reported on Saturday, the country’s first vote since a popular uprising toppled President Hosni Mubarak in February after 30 years of autocratic rule.

Al-Ahram quoted Egypt’s election commission head, Abdel Moez Ibrahim, as saying voting for the lower house, the People’s Assembly, will be held in three stages starting on November 21 and ending on January 3. Voting for the upper house, the Shura Council, will begin on January 22, 2012 and finish on March 4.

CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt and Ethiopia have agreed to set up a technical team to review the impact of a $4.8-billion Nile river dam which Addis Ababa announced in March, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said in Cairo on Saturday.

Egypt has been worried over changes to colonial-era treaties since Nile basin nations, including Ethiopia, signed a deal last year that strips Cairo of the right to the lion’s share of the river’s waters and effectively removes its veto power over dam projects.

CAIRO (Reuters) – The head of Egypt’s ruling army council postponed his appearance at the trial of ousted president Hosni Mubarak, saying he was busy with the security situation, media reported on Sunday days after a spike in anti-Israel violence.

Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi was due to testify behind closed doors on Sunday, under a complete news blackout.