Headlines for a day

Moussa hits campaign trail in Egypt presidency race

Arab League secretary-general for the last decade, Moussa, 74, is the most prominent figure yet to declare his candidacy for the position from which Hosni Mubarak was toppled on Feb. 11 after three decades in power.

The military, which took power after Mubarak was ousted, plans to hold a parliamentary vote in June to be followed by a presidential election six weeks later.

ElBaradei, a leading figure in the reform movement, has yet to say whether he will run on not. He is widely expected to.

U.S. Rep. Michele Bachman references Genesis 12:3

Wow. I wouldn't normally post this, but to hear a U.S. representative reference this particular biblical scripture is surreal (but in a good way):

Rep. Bachmann, who is not Jewish, previously has expressed deep respect for the Torah and said last year, “I am convinced in my heart and in my mind that if the United States fails to stand with Israel, that is the end of the United States... that as a nation, we have been blessed because of our relationship with Israel, and if we reject Israel, then there is a curse that comes into play.”

New Egypt foreign minister likely to be tougher on Israel

Egypt on Sunday got its second new government in less than six weeks, including a new foreign minister who is expected to take a tougher line with Israel than the government of the ousted president Hosni Mubarak did.

This is ony a temporary government as elections loom in September, but the trends in Egypt are undeniable at this point:

"Public opinion in Egypt is in favor of a less soft approach to Israel, and I think he shares this feeling," he added. "It will be very difficult for him to make the kind of concessions Hosni Mubarak made to Israel," such as during the 2009 Gaza war, when Egypt closed its border with Gaza.

Elaraby is also likely to be more open to establishing diplomatic relations with Iran, improving Egypt's frosty relationship with Syria and opening dialogue with Lebanon's Hezbollah movement, Sayyid said, suggesting that the new Egypt may not be as reliable an ally of the United States as Mubarak's Egypt was.

Exactly what we would expect.

Saudi Arabia imposes ban on 'un-Islamic' protests

After Beijing sends a frigate to the Med...How long until a Chinese aircraft carrier sails up the Thames?

With Libya teetering on the brink of civil war, it ordered the 4,000-ton frigate Xuzhou through the Suez Canal to cover the escape of 30,000 Chinese workers. For the first time in history, a Chinese warship sailed on the Mediterranean Sea.

But the Xuzhou’s mission is not just humanitarian. If democratic governments rise out of the ashes of Middle Eastern autocracy, they are unlikely to be very pro-Western.

They will be looking for new friends; and the Xuzhou is there to show the flag.

If, on the other hand, the geriatric strongmen who rule the Arab world hang on, they too will be looking for new friends, because now they know that America will not take care of them. For them, too, the Xuzhou is showing the flag.

More regarding the "Kings of the East":

China will pursue 'powerful' military

Premier Wen Jiabao vowed on Saturday that China would continue building a "powerful" military, one day after Beijing announced a return to double-digit percentage hikes in defence spending.

China has upgraded the People's Liberation Army's capabilities over the past three decades, developing advanced weaponry like its first stealth fighter jet, revealed in January.

The campaign has alarmed the United States, Japan, and others in the region and raised fears a more assertive China would seek to project its power overseas

Homeland Security bows to Read ID outcry

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security today postponed the effective date of the Real ID Act until January 15, 2013, a move that avoided causing tremendous disruptions to air travel.

It looks like another battle between states and the federal government:

The reason that Homeland Security granted the delay is that, apart from some Republican stalwarts in Congress, this law creating a digital nationalized ID is hardly popular, with critics calling it a national ID card. A chart (PDF) updated last month by the National Conference of State Legislatures lists 16 states with laws forbidding them to comply with Real ID and eight states including Colorado, Hawaii, and Illinois that have enacted resolutions effectively boycotting it.

Once the regulations take full effect, the impact on Americans would be dramatic: Residents of those 24 states including Arizona, Georgia, Oregon, and Washington would not be able to use their drivers' licenses to fly or enter a federal building such as a courthouse, even for jury duty. U.S. passports or military IDs would remain valid for identification.

Because Real ID links state DMV databases, establishes a standard bar code that can be digitally scanned, and mandates that original documents such as birth certificates be verified, backers claim the benefits extend beyond antiterror and ID fraud cases. (Extending it to firearm and prescription drug sales has not been ruled out)

France to recognize Palestine in September, Palestinian official says

A senior Palestinian official said Saturday that France has reiterated that it will recognize the Palestinian state in September, Xinhua news agency reported.

Shaath added that France is leading an initiative in the European Union (EU) which aims at activating the EU in sponsoring the peace process and adopting an initiative based on recognizing the state of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Strong quake rocks the South Sandwich Islands

Hawaii's Kilauea volcano eruptions cause crater floor collapse