WORLD/ QUEENSLAND BEGINS TO CLEAN-UP: Australia marshaled 4000 troops and sent a supply ship with tons of food to its cyclone-stricken northeast coast today, as residents in wrecked towns confronted debris that included boats tossed into neighbors houses and yards. Authorities confirmed the 1st death from the storm that slammed into the coast early Thursday and said a search was under way for 2 missing people. Cyclone Yasi destroyed dozens of homes and ripped roofs and walls from dozens more. The storm whipped the coast with up to 175mph winds and sent waves crashing ashore 2 blocks into many seaside communities. It also cut power supplies in 2 regional cities and laid waste to hundreds of millions of dollars worth of banana and sugar cane crops. Early estimates of the damage are already approaching $1 billion dollars.
WORLD/ "DEPARTURE" RALLY HELD IN CAIRO: Huge crowds occupied the main square in the Egyptian capital Cairo today, to reinforce their demand for the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak. The tens of thousands of protesters attending the "day of departure" rally in Tahrir Square waved flags and chanted "Leave! Leave! Leave!" Soldiers have been guarding the area to limit disruption by Mubarak supporters. Mubarak has said he is "fed up" with being in power, but that he is does not want to resign as it will cause chaos. He told ABC News that he feared the banned Islamist opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, would fill a power vacuum left by his absence. He also denied that his administration was behind the violence of recent days, and that his son Gamal intended to run for president. Opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei took issue with the president's remarks, saying: "We as a people are fed up as well, it is not only him". This was the 11th day of protests in Egypt.
WORLD/ UGANDAN POLICE GIVE MOTIVE FOR KATO MURDER: Ugandan police say that gay rights campaigner David Kato was killed by a man he had arranged to pay for sex. Kato was beaten to death with a hammer at his home last week. Enock Nsubuga, who was described by police as a “well-known thief”, was arrested this week at his girlfriend’s house. Police say that Kato bailed Nsubuga out of prison in late January and that the suspect had been staying at his house. The Inspector General said yesterday: “According to the suspect he negotiated with the deceased to be paid money as he was to be used as a sexual partner". He added that Kato refused to pay the money after the pair had sex.“The following day Nsubuga confesses that he picked a hammer from the bathroom and hit him on the head. There is nothing concrete to suggest that Nsubuga was motivated by hate, although we are not dismissing it," the Inspector said.
US/ UTAH LAWMAKER INTRODUCES GAY HATE BILL: A Utah legislator introduced a bill Wednesday that would require all publicly funded programs, laws, and regulations, to ensure they exclude families headed by gay and lesbian couples. Rep. LaVar Christensen writes in the bill's language that "marriage and family predate all governments and are supported by and consistent with the Laws of Nature and God, the Creator and Supreme Judge of the World, affirmed in the nation’s founding Declaration of Independence." It also says, "families anchored by both a father and a mother, fidelity within marriage, and enduring devotion to the covenants and responsibilities of marriage are the desired norm".
US/ GIFFORDS HUSBAND TO BE ON SHUTTLE: The husband of the US congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, injured in the Arizona gun attack, is to lead one of the final space shuttle missions in April, Nasa announced today. Mark Kelly will resume training as shuttle Endeavour's commander on Monday. Giffords is undergoing rehabilitation therapy in Houston after being shot in the head on Janaury 8.
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