A judge at a mass trial in Egypt has recommended the death penalty for 683 people - including Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohammed Badie.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-27186339

How awful! The part which struck me as suspicious was when it mentioned only 50 were in custody and the rest if they turned themselves in would be allowed a re-trial. If one had a death sentence on their head with what appeared to be an unjust trial to begin with - don't think they'll have many people turning themselves in. Doctors, teachers....the educated...sounds like right out of a text book of the past where one rids themselves of the educated first. Very sad.

No question the decision below emboldened the leaders of Egypt:

"Less than a week after receiving news that the Obama administration had approved the sale of a fleet of U.S. Apache attack helicopters to Egypt, uproar is following a pair of court decisions Monday that critics say reveal the military-controlled government's vicious attack on human rights and democratic values...

"Despite these attacks on democratic values, the U.S. government continues to support the Egyptian government with more than $1.5 billion in foreign aid, most of which is directed towards the military and security apparatus. In addition, as the controversial court rulings took place on Monday, Egypt's Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy was in Washington, DC on an official state visit."

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2014/04/28-0

"This time Milo had gone too far. Bombing his own men and planes was more than even the most phlegmatic observer could stomach, and it looked like the end for him....Decent people everywhere were affronted, and Milo was all washed up until he opened his books to the public and disclosed the tremendous profit he had made. He could reimburse the government for all the people and property he had destroyed and still have enough money left over to continue buying Egyptian cotton. Everybody, of course, owned a share."

Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9IfHDi-2EA&feature=kp

That book never gets outdated, does it? Bloody brilliant.