Egypt

CAIRO - Islamists claimed a decisive victory Wednesday as early election results put them on track to win a dominant majority in Egypt's first parliament since the ouster of Hosni Mubarak, the most significant step yet in the religious movement's rise since the start of the Arab Spring. The party formed by the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's mainstream Islamist group, appeared to have taken about 40 percent of the vote, as expected. But a big surprise was the strong showing of ultraconservative Islamists, called Salafis, many of whom see most popular entertainment as sinful and reject women's participation in voting or public life.

CAIRO - More than 10,000 Egyptians marched from mosques and protested in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday in a show of strength by Islamists, demanding the country's ruling generals bar Hosni Mubarak's former spy chief and other ousted regime officials from running in next month's presidential elections. The rally was the first major demonstration in Egypt in months and was a turnaround for the Islamists, who had abandoned street protests, particularly after they gained domination of parliament in elections late last year, and pursued a strategy of coexistence with the military even during violent army crackdowns on pro-democracy activists.

SECURITY FORCES clashed yesterday with stone-throwing protesters enraged by the failure of police to prevent a soccer riot that killed 74 people, as sports violence spiraled into a new political crisis for Egypt. The deaths Wednesday night in a postmatch stadium riot in the Mediterranean city of Port Said fueled anger at Egypt's ruling military and the already widely distrusted police forces. Many in the public and in the newly elected parliament blamed the leadership for letting it happen - whether from a lack of control or, as some alleged, on purpose.

CAIRO - Egypt's political crisis is widening, with plans for a huge march and a general strike Tuesday to protest the hurried drafting of a new constitution and decrees by President Mohammed Morsi that gave him nearly unrestricted powers. Morsi also faces the prospect of wider civil disobedience as media, the tourism industry, and law professors pondered moves that would build on a strike by the nation's judges. The planned strikes and march raise new fears of unrest, threatening to derail the country's transition to democratic rule.

Never mind the look-good ritual this Saturday if you're going to Egypt. Forgo the mousse, gel, curling iron or pick. (Just don't forget to glide on some antiperspirant and brush your dentals.) Most people will be paying too much attention to the tresses on stage for "Hairball" to notice yours. The seventh year of the hair design competition, which benefits City of Hope cancer and disease research, will have a "Viva Las Vegas" theme. The benefit will include Q102's Richie Rich and DJs Eric Marsh and George triggering the Beyonc?-bounce as more than 100 salons snip, slick, poof and blow.

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt - Clashes erupted Friday in two cities in northern Egypt, and protesters rallied in Cairo in the latest demonstrations against Egypt's Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, who claims the recent wave of antigovernment unrest is the work of conspirators. In the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, hundreds of unidentified assailants threw stones and fire bombs at protesters rallying against Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's most powerful political group. Morsi, who hails from the Brotherhood, was elected after longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak was forced to step down in the 2011 popular uprising.

CAIRO - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta left meetings with Egypt's new leaders Tuesday with an optimistic outlook for the valuable American ally emerging from its Arab Spring revolution, saying that he believes President Mohammed Morsi and the country's military chief were committed to democratic rule. Panetta, who later Tuesday flew to Israel for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told reporters that Morsi and Egypt's military chief, Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi, had a "very good relationship," despite the military's recent moves to limit the powers of the presidency.

CAIRO - An alliance of pro-democracy advocates Saturday criticized Egypt's new Islamist president for unilaterally choosing a prime minister with no track record while leading without transparency and alienating political groups with liberal leanings. The National Front alliance - an umbrella group of democracy advocates, secularists, and moderate Islamists behind the uprising that drove longtime authoritarian ruler Hosni Mubarak from power last year - said Mohammed Morsi had reneged on campaign promises to form a national unity government.

CAIRO - Egypt's opposition said Sunday it will keep fighting the Islamist-backed constitution after the Muslim Brotherhood, the main group backing the charter, asserted that it passed with a 64 percent "yes" vote in a referendum. The opposition alleged vote fraud and demanded an investigation - a sign that the referendum will not end the turmoil that has roiled this country for nearly two years since the uprising that ousted authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak. Many Egyptians, especially the tens of millions who live in extreme poverty, had hoped the new constitution might usher in a period of more stability.

England's soccer team and its rowdy supporters are off to mainland Italy for a World Cup second-round game against Belgium. Mark Wright's goal in the 58th minute yesterday gave England a 1-0 victory over Egypt and the Group F title. It was only England's second goal of the tournament, but it was enough to lift the team over Ireland and the Netherlands and to eliminate Egypt from the championship. "Qualifying for the second round was the most important objective," said England manager Bobby Robson.

Bishop Eustace's offense did its job on Saturday, and Devin Smeltzer made it impossible for the opponent's lineup to do the same. Smeltzer pitched all seven innings, allowing one earned run and striking out 12, and the Crusaders downed New Egypt, 8-2, in the first round of the Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic at Washington Township. Smeltzer had full control of his repertoire, walking just one. Sam Steele and Dan Marano each registered three hits for Bishop Eustace. Zac Gallen had two doubles, scored a run, and added an RBI. In other Diamond Classic action: Eric Schorr scored from second on an errant throw from a Delsea infielder, and Audubon won a 6-5, eight-inning nail-biter at Maple Shade.

CAIRO - Egypt's interior minister said Saturday that security authorities have arrested three suspected al-Qaeda-linked militants who were planning to carry out suicide attacks on vital installations and an unspecified foreign embassy. Mohammed Ibrahim told a news conference that the men had been in contact with Dawood al-Assady, a leader of al-Qaeda in southeast Asian countries such as Pakistan, and that the group was planning to attack government buildings and a foreign embassy. He did not disclose details.

CAIRO - An assailant stabbed an American man on Thursday while they were standing outside the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, security officials said. The area around the U.S. Embassy has been the site of anti-American incidents and violence in the past, but stabbings are uncommon despite political unrest that has roiled Egypt since the 2011 uprising. Embassy spokesman David Ranz confirmed that a U.S. citizen was stabbed, and said he was immediately rushed to the hospital. His condition was not known.

Egypt walks out of nuclear talks GENEVA, Switzerland - Egypt walked out of a round of global nuclear talks in protest Monday, saying other nations are not acting quickly enough to establish the Middle East as a zone free of nuclear weapons. A statement from Egypt's foreign ministry said the nation ended its participation in two weeks of Geneva talks out of frustration that the zone has yet to be created. The talks run through this week. "We can't wait forever for the implementation of this decision," said the ministry's statement Monday night, explaining that Egypt's walkout was meant to send a message to the world that it can no longer accept what it considers to be a lack of seriousness on the issue.

Most people use social media to connect with friends, share cat pictures, or perhaps play Farmville. But the young protesters who took to Tahrir Square on Jan. 25, 2011, found an essential use for these sites: Egyptians used Twitter and Facebook to orchestrate demonstrations against President Hosni Mubarak's autocracy. Dissidents used the Facebook page "We Are All Khaled Said" as a pivotal tool in the downfall of Mubarak. Protesters shared the plight of Khaled Said, a young activist who was arbitrarily arrested and killed by police.

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt - Clashes erupted Friday in two cities in northern Egypt, and protesters rallied in Cairo in the latest demonstrations against Egypt's Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, who claims the recent wave of antigovernment unrest is the work of conspirators. In the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, hundreds of unidentified assailants threw stones and fire bombs at protesters rallying against Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's most powerful political group. Morsi, who hails from the Brotherhood, was elected after longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak was forced to step down in the 2011 popular uprising.

CAIRO - A commercial airliner left Egypt for Iran on Saturday in what was the first direct passenger flight between the two countries in more than three decades, Egyptian airport officials said. Cairo-Tehran relations have warmed since the June election of Egypt's Islamist president, Mohammed Morsi. Diplomatic relations were frozen after Egypt signed its 1979 peace treaty with Israel and Iran underwent its Islamic Revolution. Cairo airport officials say a private Air Memphis flight departed for Tehran carrying eight Iranians, including two diplomats.

CAIRO - After Egypt's Islamist president vowed action against opponents, the nation's top prosecutor on Monday issued arrest warrants against five prominent activists over clashes between the Muslim Brotherhood and protesters. The warrants heightened the latest in a series of crises plaguing this nation of 90 million since the ouster of autocrat Hosni Mubarak. Rights activists and the opposition warned the warrants could mark the opening of an intimidation campaign against their ranks by President Mohammed Morsi and the Brotherhood, through the prosecutor.

CAIRO - Egyptian security forces arrested a close aide of ousted Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi on Tuesday following a siege at his Cairo home, a security official and witnesses said. Ahmed Qaddaf al-Dam surrendered to Egyptian security forces after shots were fired, they said. An intelligence official under Gadhafi, Qaddaf al-Dam is among dozens wanted for their role in Libya's 2011 civil war that ended with Gadhafi's capture and killing. Police surrounded his home in the Cairo neighborhood of Zamalek before dawn Tuesday.