Egyptian military moves to keep power

Egyptian military moves to keep power

CAIRO

As Egypt awaited the official results of its first free presidential election, the country appeared Monday to be entering a prolonged period of instability as the various bodies of government — the ruling military council, the Muslim Brotherhood, the Parliament and the assembly charged with writing a new constitution — competed for governing power.

The speaker of Parliament, Mohamed Saad el Katatni, announced that he would convene a session of the legislative body today in defiance of the military council’s decree that it was dissolved, potentially setting the stage for a showdown in front of the building.

The Muslim Brotherhood, whose candidate, Mohammed Morsi, claimed early Monday to have won the weekend’s close runoff vote for president, dismissed as invalid the military council’s amendments to the constitution that limited presidential powers.

Fires continue to burn in West

LOVELAND, Colo.

Firefighters faced dangerous conditions across much of the Rocky Mountain region Monday, as they toiled in hot, dry weather to battle a wildfire that has charred nearly 92 square miles in northern Colorado.

Authorities said they determined eight more homes have burned in the fire near Fort Collins. The blaze started June 9 and now has destroyed at least 189 homes — the most in the state’s history. The fire is 50 percent contained.

Other wildfires were burning in warm, arid weather from Wyoming to Arizona to Southern California, where a blaze that prompted the evacuation of at least 150 homes was 30 percent contained Monday.

Body-parts suspect returned to Canada

MIRABEL, Quebec

A Canadian porn actor suspected in the dismemberment of a Chinese student arrived in Canada on Monday via military transport from Germany, where he was arrested this month.

Luka Magnotta did not fight his extradition. He is suspected of killing Jun Lin and sending body parts to Canadian political parties and schools. The head still is missing. Police said they would ask Magnotta where it is.

Investigators say Magnotta posted a video online showing him having sex with the dismembered corpse.

Asian immigrants outpace Hispanics

WASHINGTON

For the first time, the influx of Asians moving to the U.S. has surpassed that of Hispanics, reflecting a slowdown in illegal immigration while American employers increase their demand for high-skilled workers.

An expansive study by the Pew Research Center details what it describes as “the rise of Asian-Americans,” a highly diverse and fast-growing group making up roughly 5 percent of the U.S. population. Mostly foreign-born and naturalized citizens, their numbers have been boosted by increases in visas granted to specialized workers and to wealthy investors as the U.S. economy becomes driven less by manufacturing and more by technology.

Militia members convicted in Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska

A jury on Monday convicted the leader of an Alaska militia group of nine of the 11 counts against him in a federal conspiracy case, including the most-serious charge of plotting to kill government employees.

Jurors deliberated for more than two full days before returning a verdict against 28-year-old Schaeffer Cox, head of the Fairbanks-based Alaska Peacemakers Militia. They also convicted militia member Lonnie Vernon, 56, of conspiracy to murder but deadlocked on the same charge for a third member, Coleman Barney, 37.

Combined dispatches