Security World News » Current News

Elections in Egypt

Cristiano Ronaldo — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:56:45 +0000

After Hosni Mubarak, was ousted as the Egyptian president by an exemplary revolution, it was believed that Egypt may never recover. After all, the nation has not known democracy for over two decades. However, the Egyptians were determined to turn their country around and from the grip of military rule by holding a general election. So far, Islamist parties have managed to make headways in all parliamentary elections in the first round of election that was held in the past week. The election of Islamist candidates to parliament is a reflection of the ever growing support of religious-focused attitude in the stormy North Africa.

The Muslim Brotherhood that won 40% of the casted votes said that they accepted the results since they reflected the will of the majority. As such, they urged their opponents to accept their defeat in the elections in kind. To them, this is a democracy that they have fought for a long time. Since there is still a second round of elections to be held, the Muslim Brotherhood are anticipating better results than they received in the first round of elections.

While the Muslim Brotherhood is regarded as moderate Islamist group, a more hard line Islamist group, the Al Noor Salafi Movement won 20% of the votes in the first round of elections. This is according to the results that were released by the Higher Judicial Election Council.

During the first round of election which is the first to be held after Hosni Mubarak was ousted, the results so far have reflected those which were held in other North African countries such as Tunisia. Modest Islamic groups seem to be winning the elections in spite of the growing voices of discontent from other Arabic speaking nations. Whereas secular groups were not shocked by the election results, they were however stunned by the way in which radical Islamist groups were toppled in the elections.

Mohamed Ghoneim, who is a spokesman for the Liberal Egyptian Block whose party got 15% of the votes casted, said that they would take advantage of the change in tides to win more votes. He believes his party can mobilize more support for their moderate Islamic candidates in the second round thus winning more votes in the process. He believes that a majority of the voters were put off by a number of secular candidates since they have roots in National Democratic Party, which was Hosni Mubarak’s party.

The Muslim Brotherhood which has been rooted in the Egyptian politics for a long time is made up of highly educated professionals such as lawyers, businessmen, doctors, professors, engineers as well as attorneys. In addition, they come from strong middle-class backgrounds. This in turn has endeared them to a majority of the voters that see them as the best party to steer their country into the future. Moreover, they were deeply involved during the ousting of Hosni Mubarak. As such, most of the voters see them as one of their own.

This is the first time that Egypt has held elections that is considered by a majority of people around the world as fair and just. As the first round of elections comes to an end, they will be gearing for the second round of elections.

This article is sponsored by the home security store. We invite you to navigate throughout our website. We have dozens of sections covering a variety of home security kits, security cameras, personal safety products, environmental control devices, wired and wireless security products, and much more.

Withdrawal of US forces from Iraq will lead to a new dawn- will it really be so?

Cristiano Ronaldo — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 19:29:07 +0000

The Iraq war marked the end of Saddam Hussain. It was a combined effort of US under the leadership of President George W. Bush and United Kingdom under the leadership of Tony Blair. Saddam Hussain was captured in 2003, and was executed after a painful trial on December 30, 2006, but Iraq has became the bone stuck in the throat of US. Nevertheless, US have declared that all troops will be removed from Iraq by the end of 2011.

Military withdrawal can be a very complex process. The army units are still unsure of their fate. Still the “redistribution Property Assistance team” has been putting their best effort so that equipment, tactical vehicles, and other paraphernalia are selected and send back. There is seven RPAT’s working in Baghdad presently.

After nearly nine years of struggle in the Iraqi War will be finally over and President Barrack Obama has informed after consulting Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki that the total withdrawal will be complete by the end of 2011. On October 21, Obama informed in a very encouraging speech that the last of the soldiers posted in Iraq will be called back. The soldiers are to be proud of themselves and hold their heads high in pride for their conquering.

But matters may not be that simple as it appears to be. With the removal of the military forces, the USAF will have to remove their airbases. In that case, the strength of US on Iraq will be decreased. To maintain that strength, US can maintain airbases in other friendlier Gulf countries such as Kuwait

So that the withdrawal may be carried over effectively, Special Forces from Oklahoma Air Base is doing a good job for evacuating soldiers from Iraq. The “125^th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron” and Ohio’s Guards “180^th Fighter Wing “ are doing their best, providing “F-16C, Fighting Falcon” support to the ground forces, in case they have to fight back for coming out.

Contingency backup plans are also operational so that the Iraqi forces may be handed over the for example as in Camp Fallujah the first army division has taken control of the camp and nearby areas. Operating station Gary Owen is also being taken over on 15^th October, 2011 by the 10^th Iraqi Army Division.

Same is the case with COP Marez, in Mosul. Mosul has been dominated by the US forces over a long time but on October 11, 2011 it was handed over to Iraqi forces, as a part of the withdrawal. The first cavalry is already on the way to US.

Kurds have been a long problem for US supply lines, and now matters are also being sorted out with them. Apart from the one hundred and sixty soldiers associated with the embassy, all soldiers are speculated to be taken back by this year. For the latest news, USAF transferred management to Iraq, of the Baghdad-Balad air base.

Unrest in the Middle East

Cristiano Ronaldo — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 03:28:34 +0000

The present day economy is still greatly reliant on non-renewable energy. Whereas there have been a couple of substitutes aimed at replacing non-renewable energy sources, none that has really been capable of substituting coal and oil. Some of the largest crude oil producers in the world are located in the Middle East as well as North America. For developing countries to be at the same par as the developed nations, they require large amounts of crude oil. Oil fuels their economic growth and helps them keep up with their development agenda. However, emerging economies such as Brazil, China and India coupled with all other third world nations have to deal with sharp rise in crude oil prices each and every time oil producing countries in the Middle East experience political issues.

If you have been keenly following the progress of the economy in your nation you will notice that each time there is unrest in the Middle East, there is a slight plunge in the economy as the oil prices shoot up. The constrained resources coupled with turbulence in these oil producing nations is not improving the situation in any way. We are residing in a planet where affordable oil is the secret to economic solidity. This is permanent condition and it’s impossible to eliminate it unless we are able to unearth a sustainable option with equal effectiveness as the oil.

The political unrest in the Middle East is no longer restricted to Palestine, Iran and Iraq. It has spread to countries such as Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Syria, Lebanon as well as Saudi Arabia. All of these countries are entangled in some kind of political instability. The volatility in these nations is what is driving the entire global economy into danger.

In addition to oil and gas, there are a number of problems that are affecting both the developed and developing countries directly or indirectly. Leading economists have attributed the ever rising cost of sugar and other essential consumer products to the political unrest within the Middle East. The main reason for this is because North African nations such as Egypt are some of the leading producers of sugar and coffee. Tunisia is one of the main exporters of fruits to Europe. But, because of the quagmire facing the nation, they are unable to export fruits in the manner they used to before the political unrest.

Libya is the latest country in the Middle East that has been grabbing the world’s attention. It is one of the major oil producers in the world and the leading oil exporter to Europe. Most European nations are feeling the pinch of high oil prices because of the unrest in Libya. Iraq which was one of the major oil producers is now unable to meet its daily quota because of the civil war. As a matter of fact, when the war in Iraq broke out that is when crude oil prices started to shoot to the roof. To add salt to the injury, Saudi Arabia refused to increase its production so as to plug in the deficit caused by other Middle East countries experiencing political crisis.

Unrest in the middle-east therefore has a cascading affect on the world’s economy. Economic and political stability is greatly desired in the region for the collective progress of the world.

Unrest in the Middle East

Cristiano Ronaldo — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 20:20:41 +0000

There is no denying the fact that today’s economy is still heavily dependent on non-renewable sources of energy. There have been a few alternatives but none has actually been able to substitute oil and coal. The Middle Eastern countries along with a few North African countries are the biggest producers of crude oil. All the developing nations are now heavily relying on such countries as the energy is the need of the hour in order to continue a sustainable developmental process. India China and all other big developing countries are facing oil woes every time the Middle Eastern countries enter any such situation of a crisis.

It is noteworthy that the economy slumps every time there is a sharp rise in oil prices. The limited resources along with unrest in such countries do not make the situation any better. We are dwelling in a world where cheap oil holds the key to economic stability. This is an irreversible state and we cannot get rid of the situation until we find any proper alternative with equivalent efficiency that of oil.

The Middle Eastern countries comprising of Iran, Iraq, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and some North African countries like Egypt and Syria are gradually entering into a stage of crisis. Every nation is involved in some sort of instability which is mainly political. Their instability in the government is driving the whole world’s economy into jeopardy.

Apart from oil there are also some other major issues that is affecting every nation dearly either directly or indirectly. The rising cost of pulses and sugar is an attribute to this unrest in the Middle East. The sole reason is the North African countries are good producers of some agricultural products. Tunisia for example has entered into such an unrest from where it is quite difficult for the nation to emerge. Tunisian fruit vendors are hence getting affected that is indirectly affecting the European countries who are the biggest importers of such fruits.

Libya has been in the news lately for all the wrong reasons. Four decades of so called tyranny of Moammar Gaddafi has taken the country into a situation of utter turmoil. This unrest is affecting the export of oil from the country which is affecting the other nations. Iraq has already suffered huge jolts in the past decade. This is an example which is quite easy to comprehend. The Iraq war was the time during which oil took a trend of upward march. This trend has ever since continued its momentum with only some pockets of relief. Saudi Nations did not agree with the proposal of increasing of the production of the oil which led to sharp increase in oil prices just after the Iraq war.

There has been lack of security in such countries which are predominantly Islamic countries. All the terror groups have some origin in such countries. The leaders of ill-famous Al-Qaida have emerged predominantly from these regions. Thus it suggests that the continuous unrest in such Middle Eastern countries give rise to anti-socials who bring harm upon their own nation and the world as a whole. For instance one of the top leaders of Al-Qaida Al-Zawahiri finds his origin from Egypt a North African nation. Even the killed top brass of Al-Qaida Osama Bin Laden was a Saudi born son of a billionaire.

Public voice in such countries is thwarted as most of the countries do not bestow its support on democracy. Saudi Arabia is a kingdom and is ruled by emirates where as Libya is arguable ruled a dictator and is in the same mould how Saddam Hussain ruled Iraq. Lack of democracy gives rise to such irregularities which eventually gives rise to civil wars that have been observed in Yemen and Bahrain in recent times. Repression gives rise to such turmoil and their key source of income which is oil brings down the whole economy of the world into a state of crisis.

Once Bitten Twice Shy. Delhi High Court bomb blast

Pranav Sood — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 02:01:10 +0000

India was a victim of terror attacks yet again on the seventh of September. This time terrorist stuck the New Delhi, High Court killing 13 and injuring 100 people. The terrorist used an improvised explosive device at the main reception. The responsibility for the attacks was claimed by a group called Huji, through an email that the security agencies manage to track to a specific location in Kashmir.

What happened how and where it happened has become insignificant in the wake of repeated terror strikes like these. The government’s inaction after repeated attacks means that citizens can not feel safe. Thus terrorism scores one over the people as this is what its ultimate objective is to strike fear in the hearts of the people. They may go on about their business in the same places that were bombed and attacked not because of courage but because they have to.

Such untoward incidents never occur with a warning, however in the case of these attacks they did. There was a foiled bid to bomb the parking area exactly a hundred days ago before the September seventh attacks. The bureaucracy and government inaction have become the terrorist’s allies. The terrorist relied on the government to take their time to process all the proposals for the security overhaul of the high court post the first attack. There was a proposal to use the paramilitary force to guard the high court which gathers dust at the home ministry. CCTV cameras were to be installed and radio frequency tagging was to be used. The security revamp plan also suggested that high frequency jammers devices be installed in the High Court. It was also recommended that plain clothed police men be also used to increase vigilance. But none of these proposals ever saw the day of the light. The government remains defensive as ever and dismissing arguments that it hasn’t done enough to protect its people. True, even these measures proposed above would not have ensured that terrorist attacks don’t happen. But it would have definitely helped the investigative agencies. With no cctv footage available the investigators are left groping in the dark. They find themselves under enormous pressure from the government because having failed at preventing these attacks it now looks to at least nab those responsible for propagating the attack. It is crucial that security forces catch hold of those behind the attacks because otherwise there is a possibility of another attack.

Riots in London

Pranav Sood — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 01:56:00 +0000

The riots in London have escalated to a massive scale, and what started out as a peaceful protest has taken the shape of a ten headed monster. The scale of the riots has been such that they drew comparisons with the Brixton riots of 1995. Commentators have said that the riots are because of rising unemployment and poverty, the rising gap between rich and poor and the lowest social mobility between the rich and poor. The general public and the authorities have reached no consensus as to the cause of the riots. Gang Culture, poor policing, criminal behavior, government cuts unemployment a racial tension are being stated as the few key reasons for the riots by them.

On Thursday the British Prime Minister David Cameron minced no words as he stated that the rioters will pay for the mayhem and destruction that they have caused. He was extremely critical of the initial police efforts to curb the riots; even suggesting that police action on time could have stopped the riots. These riots were preceded by a peaceful protest against the killing of Mark Duggan by the metropolitan police. The protests march took place on 6^th August and in the following days started a ruckus of looting, arson, assaults, mugging, burglary and disorder. The crowd became restless as they received very limited information about Duggan’s death. Disturbances that Began in the ethnically diverse Tottenham spread to other parts of London such as Wood Green, Enfield Town, Ponders End, Walthamstow, Islington and Brixton. Authorities suggest that opportunistic looters fanned the unrest and the vandalism which went out of control in a few hours time.

It was these opportunistic looters that Prime Minister David Cameron was referring to when he said on 11^th august that authorities will hunt down those responsible for the violence. “The fight back has well and truly begun” said Cameron “As to the lawless minority and the criminals who have taken what they can get, I say this , we will find you , we will charge you and we will punish you. You will pay for what you have done”. Police have been given extra powers to tackle the violence. As many as 1300 arrests have been made to prevent any more mishaps. The damages cost by the riots have been estimated to be as much as 200 million Euros.

As London moves back to normal life gradually the government has a lot to do before the damage of the recent days is undone. Though in many ways it can’t be undone, but Londoners can look forward to resuming normal life in the next few days.

Armed Robbery on the Rise: Pharmaceutical Robberies Sweeping the U.S.

Ralph Winn — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 02:13:46 +0000

There is a new wave of armed robbery cases that is rapidly sweeping across the United States of America involving pharmacies. Frantic drug addicts as well as callous substance dealers are increasingly turning into violence as a way of meeting their growing demand for narcotic painkillers.

From New York City to California, delinquents are grasping pharmacists at gunpoint and getting away with not only tens of thousands of dollars of daily sales but also strong addictive medications which retail for as much as $90.00 on the streets. In one of the most appalling felonies an armed robber sauntered into a neighborhood pharmacy in New York’s Long Island and shot dead the attendant, a clerk at the store in addition to two clients prior to getting away with a backpack filled with pills comprising hydrocodone.

A pharmacist in New York who was hit twice in the past year by armed robbers has termed the recent rise of armed robbery cases as “an epidemic”. He goes on to say that the robbers are dissolute and will shot you without thinking.

According to statistics released by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, it is believed that armed robbery cases at pharmaceutical stores rose by a margin of 81% between 2006 and 2010. The amount of drugs stolen between the same period rose from 707,000 to 1.4 million. The most preferred drugs by armed robbers are oxycodone pain killers, for example, OxyContin and Hydrocodone based medication, such as Vicodin. These are powerfully addictive medications.

In the State of New York, the number of pharmaceutical robberies cases rose from two to twenty eight between 2006 and 2010. In Florida, armed robbery cases rose by nearly six-fold in the same period from 11 to 65. In California, there were 61 reported cases of pharmaceutical robberies. Other affected states include Indiana which experienced 45 robbery cases and Tennessee that had 38 pharmaceutical robbery cases.

Fortunately, most thieves do not injure anyone. Their main interests are in the drugs. Only a few delinquents shoot down store attendants in a moment of rage. Nonetheless, the concerned authorities are increasingly being worried about the likelihood of bloodshed as the number of assaults continues to rise. For example, in September of 2010, a store clerk was shot dead by a bullet that went through the chest and a pregnant lady wounded when a shootout ensued between the robber and an armed staff at the drug store in Sacramento’s suburb. In August 2010, an armed robber shot and killed a pharmacist in Trenton, New Jersey before getting away with $10,000 worth of pills.

The robberies are just but a reflection of an increase in the misuse of narcotic drugs countrywide. This is according DEA spokesperson, Barbra Carreno. She continued to say that drug addicts are devising new methods of satisfying their addiction.

Prescription medications such as Vicodin, OxyContin and Norco are presently the second most misused drugs following marijuana. There are approximately 7 million Americans who abuse different types of painkillers on a monthly basis. This is according to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

© Ralph for Security World News, 2011. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: addictive medications, armed robbery, Hydrocodone, narcotic drugs, pain killers, Pharmaceutical Robberies, Violence

Radiation Leak in Japan

Cristiano Ronaldo — Mon, 23 May 2011 22:22:55 +0000

Radiation leak in Japan has everyone worried that it could contaminate the ocean. Contaminated water flowing coming the reactor building located in Fukushima Nuclear Plant may find its way into the ocean. According to investigations a huge amount of radioactive water has already seeped out of the building that houses one of the reactors.

In a bid to try and prevent further contamination by the leakages coming from one of the reactors, Japan has already called upon international experts to come and assist it. Given the humanitarian disaster that has been occasioned by the earthquake, authorities in Japan are admitting that their hands are already full and help from international community will enable it to contain further damage to the environment. France has already offered its support through two of its nuclear groups, i.e. Areva and EDF.

TEPCO which is the company tasked with managing the nuclear plant told journalist that huge amounts of highly contaminated water had already seeped out from the nuclear plant turbine building. The underground repair tunnel that contains the contaminated water is almost overflowing. A TEPCO official was quoted as saying that “Investigations are underway to confirm if the water could flow directly into the ocean.” As such, the challenging task at hand is trying to keep in check the freshly discovered leak that menaces to seep out into the ocean. This coming hot on the heels of announcement that the intensity of the radiation leaks was at an all time high.

Water getting out of the number 2 reactor building and into the immediate turbine building was found to hold quantities of iodine 134 which were approximately 10 million times the normal amount usually found in water utilized in the nuclear plants. This was reported by the Japan’s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency. However, later on after the alarming discovery, the operator called a press conference to allay fears of possible water contamination as the initial reading was an error. But, many believe that the announcement came due to the widespread worries and fright in the people who are currently working inside the nuclear plant and individuals residing around the power plant. Therefore, the company had to take steps and calm every one. Through its spokesman, the TEPCO said that it was sorry for the earlier announcement.

According to a radiation professional at the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority Robert Finck, the conditions are grave. Given that once can only be inside the nuclear place for a couple of minutes, it is next to impossible to state the amount of time before the situation is brought back to control. On the other hand, authorities had revealed more disturbing news early on in the day. The radiation level in the ocean had risen to 1850 times plus the usual level. This was a rise from 1250 times that had been reported the day before.

More fears were to come when a spokesman for Tokyo Electric admitted that the reason for the leak in two of the plant’s nuclear reactor was not clear. He said that the company was still looking into the reason for the leak and that no work had begun in the building given the high levels of radiation.

The number of people who perished in the earthquake and the devastating tsunami thereafter is past the 10000 mark and there are still 15000 people missing.

Libya: As it unfolds

Pranav Sood — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:34:40 +0000

With the protests in Egypt spilling over to Libya things have become very volatile in the entire Middle East region. In February the call of the Libyan people for elections and a democratic regime. The protestors took control of a major portion of Libya. By February the rebels had formed their own government called the National Transition Council in their stronghold in Bengazhi. However Col Gaddafi retained power and this government had no status. The rebels kept gaining ground until forces loyal to Col Gaddafi rallied and reclaimed several cities of the coastal region. They soon surrounded the rebel capital Bengazhi and were ready to launch an attack. But the United Nations passed a resolution on the 17^th of March to make all efforts to stop the Col Gaddafi’s forces.

The United Nations though ready to attack was not ready to send troops on the ground. On 18^th March Col Gaddafi announced a ceasefire saying he was willing to comply with the resolution. However the war between the government and rebels was still on in Libya. Thus French jets attacked the pro Gaddafi’s forces on the 19^th March. British and US naval ships fired Tommahawk cruise missiles to soften their air defenses. As the fighting intensified hundreds of Libyan refugees fled towards the Egyptian border.

USA commanders on 20^th march claimed that the attacks had destroyed their intended targets and the mission had been a success thus far. Coalition forces hit armored vehicles that were planning to seize Bengazhi. Gaddafi says all Libyans are armed and ready to fight “a long, drawn-out war with no limits” against what he brands a “barbaric aggression.” The Arab league and the African Union speak in Gaddafi’s support and say that the scale of the attacks is unjustified. As the fight in Libya goes on many countries have refrained from supporting the resolution. Russia, India and China have called for a halt in the coalition strike. On the 21^st March 4 new York time journalist are freed by the Libyan government, many other are still missing.

Tips on Avoiding Fraudulent Charitable Contribution Schemes

Annie Blanco — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:10:37 +0000

The FBI is reminding people to use caution when making donations in wake of the disasters in Japan. Unfortunately, at times like these is when criminals exploit these tragedies for their own gain by sending fraudulent e-mails and creating phony websites designed to solicit contributions. Solicitations can originate from e-mails, websites, door-to-door collections, flyers, mailings, telephone calls, and other similar methods.

The FBI and the National Center for Disaster Fraud have an existing tip line to receive information from the public about suspected fraud associated with the earthquake and tsunami that affected Japan.

In a press release, the FBI says tips should be reported to the National Center for Disaster Fraud, (866) 720-5721. The line is staffed by a live operator 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Additionally, e-mails can be sent to disaster@leo.gov, and information can be faxed to (225) 334-4707.

The FBI continues to remind the public to perform due diligence before giving contributions to anyone soliciting donations or individuals offering to provide assistance to the people of Japan. Before making a donation of any kind, consumers should adhere to certain guidelines, including:

1. Do not respond to any unsolicited (spam) incoming e-mails, including clicking links contained within those messages because they may contain computer viruses.

2. Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as members of charitable organizations or officials asking for donations via e-mail or social networking sites.

3. Beware of organizations with copy-cat names similar to but not exactly the same as those of reputable charities.

4. Rather than follow a purported link to a website, verify the legitimacy of nonprofit organizations by utilizing various Internet-based resources that may assist in confirming the group’s existence and its nonprofit status.

5. Be cautious of e-mails that claim to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files because the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.

6. To ensure contributions are received and used for intended purposes, make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf.

7. Do not be pressured into making contributions; reputable charities do not use such tactics.

8. Be aware of whom you are dealing with when providing your personal and financial information. Providing such information may compromise your identity and make you vulnerable to identity theft.

9. Avoid cash donations if possible. Pay by credit card or write a check directly to the charity. Do not make checks payable to individuals.

10. Legitimate charities do not normally solicit donations via money transfer services. Most legitimate charities websites end in .org rather than .com.

The National Center for Disaster Fraud was created by the Department of Justice to investigate, prosecute, and deter fraud in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, when billions of dollars in federal disaster relief poured into the Gulf Coast region. Now, its mission has expanded to include suspected fraud from any natural or man-made disaster. More than 20 federal agencies, including the FBI, participate in the NCDF, which allows the center to act as a centralized clearinghouse of information related to disaster relief fraud.

EGYPT’S FREEDOM FROM DICTATORSHIP

Cristiano Ronaldo — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 04:19:36 +0000

Egypt was declared a democratic and a republic nation since 1953. Initially, the presidents were elected by the people through normal voting like in any other country, but it went through one of the longest presidential rule under Mohammad Hosni Mubarak for about 30 years, from 1981 to 2011. And his term of president ship of Egypt is also commonly termed to be a dictatorship, because he was re-elected for five times in the presidential elections. His term of rule has observed many economic crisis and oppression of the people, and as a result, the widespread protests in early 2011 resulted Mubarak to resign from his rule, and Egypt got freedom from his dictatorship.

Egypt under the rule of Mubarak saw many changes, most of which was for the worse of the country’s status. During his time, though being a so-called democracy, there was apparently no list of candidates to choose from during the elections. And it has been found out the out of the total population of Egypt, only about 40 percent are registered voters, and only 25 percent of them actually participate in the process, and they are loyal to the existing president. And as a result, in all the elections, Mubarak emerged out as the only voted candidate. This over the time infuriated the people, who participated in the revolution against him, to end dictatorship in Egypt.

Mubarak used his military power to oppress the people. There was mass political unrest throughout the nation. Most of the people attended the voting only due to presence of strict military forces, who supervised the elections. The military was controlled directly by the president, so they took his side, and almost forced the people to cast their votes in his favor. Thus this created mass uprising against him leading to the end of his dictatorship.

In 2005, Mubarak pointed out that his rule was not a perfect example of a democratic nation. So he devised a new set of rules, so that there were more candidates to choose from during the elections. He allowed leaders from different political parties to step up in the process. But there were restrictions that prohibited the people who opposed him to stand in the elections. So with the help of police force and self-important laws, he got elected quite easily. This made the people form a group opposing his rules, which eventually led to the freedom from dictatorship.

The government under Mubarak was highly corrupted. He made civil laws that oppressed the people both politically and religiously. He made laws that made him more powerful, and led to prolonging his president ship over Egypt. He forcefully imprisoned many of his opposing leaders, opened illegal facilities for their imprisonment and detention, and provided power to the military to arrest common people out of slight suspicions. As a result, Egypt was rated one of the most corrupted nations of 2010 under his dictatorship.

Finally, the people outburst in rage on 25^th January, 2011, causing mass protests, ignored his curfew order and emergency rules. Military lost control of the rising mob, and finally Egypt got freedom of dictatorship on 11^th February, 2011, when Mubarak fled to Cairo, and his president ship got dissolved.

Re-Processed Poultry Scandal Shock in South Africa

Madeleine — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 18:48:04 +0000

A serious food scandal erupted and is still developing with the third largest poultry supplier Supreme Poultry in South Africa. Making matters worse, large fast food restaurants Nando’s and KFC are also implicated in this scandal.

It became known that this supplier re processed poultry that has reached the expiry date on their products. Additional media investigation also exposed that chicken products are recycled by rinsing the chicken in chlorine water and injected with salt water to prolong the shelve life of the product. Once the poultry is reprocessed it returns to the shelves with new expiry dates.

Apart from reprocessing poultry that has reached the expiry date, the weight of the chicken is not a true reflection of the actual product, because the chicken weighs more because of the salt or pickled water injected into the poultry. In some instances products contain up to 60% injected pickled water. Still the consumer pays for the poultry by weight. One kilogram chicken will consist of 600 grams of water and only 400 grams of actual chicken!

Making the matters more bizarre is that large chain stores such as Pick n Pay, Shoprite/Checkers, and various other stores actually sell these frozen poultry products. According to a report from the African Business Review, Supreme Poultry also supplies Nando’s and KFC with chicken products.

According to previous employees of Supreme Poultry the reprocessing of frozen chicken is common practice for several years already. A previous production manager at one of the factories admitted that numerous tons of unsold expired chicken are returned to the factory at Botshabelo and are reprocessed for reselling.

The health risk pertaining to this kind of practice is that there are no guarantees that the reprocessed frozen chicken is not spoiled already. It is common knowledge that it is dangerous to refrozen any meat, fish, or poultry because it creates the ideal opportunity for hazardous microorganisms to multiply that can cause food poisoning.

Consumers are hideously misled with an expiry date that is replaced with a second and even third one on a particular product. One can not help to wonder on what guidelines or regulations the expiry dates are attached to products and how well it is controlled. The problem is that especially infants, pregnant women, elderly people, people suffering from malnutrition, and immune impaired people can suffer serious consequences from these fraudulent practices.

The Impression of the US Military Exercise in the Yellow Sea with South Korea

Madeleine — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 20:56:43 +0000

Hostility remains high between North and South Korea even though China condemned the proceeding of US and South Korean military exercise planned in the Yellow Sea after gunfire was exchanged between South and North Korea recently.

Since 1953 there was an unofficial seize fire between these two nations. After almost 60 years, North Korea opened fire on a South Korean island in the Yellow Sea on 23 November 2010, killing four people and wounded 15 others.

The USS George Washington was sent by the US for a joined four day military exercise with South Korea. What bothers China and the rest of the world is that the start of this exercise comes only 5 days after the attack.

One can not help to think that calling such a provocative military drill would be the sensible thing to do. Yet the planned action continues. According The Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Military Science Academy, Major General Luo Yuan, it can be compared to pouring fuel onto flames.

The US called on China to make use of its influence on North Korea to recoil from the tension in the area. China seems to act as a fair diplomatic arbitrator in the situation, not considering its dominant trade association with North Korea, by appealing to all parties, including North Korea, for a reduction in hostility by exercising control and to remain calm.

Frankly, there was no sign that this request of China had any effect. North Korea kept to their war expressions by stating that the actions of the US and South Korea to stage a military drill in such a volatile time is irresponsible.

Keeping in mind the expression that all is fair in love and war, one can understand that just accepting a military exercise, especially if you are possibly on the receiving end, might not be the most appropriate action for a highly volatile situation. This only makes sense that North Korea claim that the military practice by the US and South Korea are shoving the Korean peninsula in the direction of war.

While the rest of the world hold their breath, China will remain the key mitigating factor and will need to practice careful diplomacy, as it is the only country that have some form of influence on North Korea. The United Kingdom said it strongly condemns the attack while the Germans are of the opinion that military aggravation is threatening the peace of the area. On the border of North Korea, Russia is apprehensive about the exchange of gunfire.

© Miljo for Security World News, 2010. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: China, North Korea, South Korean military, war, Yellow Sea

The Long Wait. Iraq suicide attacks

Pranav Sood — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 22:03:55 +0000

The number of incidents of bombings and suicide attacks targeting different sects is on the rise in Iraq. The security forces are finding it hard to tackle this menace. These attacks are meant to create unrest in the country. Recently 22 people were killed in a suicide attack in a cyber café. The cyber café was frequented by Shia Kurds. This incident took place in a town called Diyala, North West of Baghdad. The shop was packed that time and the blast claimed 22 lives and injuring 60 more.

Eight months after the elections that led to a deadlock, security forces have found it hard to bring some order. Different political parties are engaged in a bitter battle to gain power. This has been the biggest attack since early September. Even after the end of the United States occupation there still has been many incidences of violence. This occupation lasted seven and a half years and has led Iraq into a time of sectarian violence.

Eye witnesses describe the scene as devastating followed by chaos in the entire market. One person said that he was very close to the café and saw a huge explosion and then people were running around in panic. The entire nearby area was a scene of chaos and the Police had to fire in the air to dissuade the crowd from going near the café.

The town of Diyala is quite close to the Iranian border and to the violence prone town of Baqbua. The café was very popular amongst the residents for playing dominoes, smoking sisha pipes and drinking sweet tea. Overall the situation seems to be much better than what it was in 2006-2007, the time of the peak of violence between the sunis and shias. But, after the inconclusive elections in March has stoked tensions. The long wait meanwhile is claiming the lives of the innocent people.

Church raid leaves 52 dead

Pranav Sood — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 22:00:22 +0000

Baghdad was again the scene of violence as terrorist continue to target minority sects in Iraq. Gunmen stormed into a Syrian catholic church killing fifty two people in this raid. The gunmen attacked the Our Lady of Salvation church early on Sunday. The church is the largest in the city of Baghdad and attracts many visitors daily. Reports reveal that a bomb exploded just outside the compound of the church followed by gunfire. The siege went on for several hours. The location of the attack was also very sensitive as the church was in close proximity to the high security green zone district where many embassies and government offices are located. As soon as the security officials were intimated of the siege, United States helicopters and Iraqi military closed the area.

The gunmen held the captives as hostages for hours. They demanded the release of high profile al-Qaida militants jailed in Iraq and Egypt. The security forces began a rescue operation in which many civilians and police officers died. The government’s handling of the issue has come under severe criticism. A Christian lawmaker was very vocal in his dissatisfaction with the way the entire operation was carried out. “This operation hits at the credibility of the government and its ability to handle, preserve and impose security and the enforcement of Law” said the Member of Parliament*. He also added” Because of their lack of professionalism and the hasty action taken by security forces in freeing the hostages, many innocent people were killed”. Reports and eyewitnesses have verified that the attackers were among children and most people were killed when the security forces raided the church.

Al Qaeda’s Iraqi wing took responsibility for the attacks. They claimed to have attacked the dirty den of idolatry on their website. This attack follows the bombings in Diyala which claimed 22 lives.

*the statement of the speaker as reported from Rueters