Israel paid the tunnel to reveal

Our meeting with Ismail mistake. Evening, we are in the middle of Olive Hill, so we take the hill on the right side of Rafah Gate Gate, Egypt to see the kick-lunge fighter Israel bombard Rafah area, Gaza Strip, Palestine. 

Ismail (38), Bedouin man who lived in the hills around it, suddenly greet us, "Assalamualaikum," and hand over hand. We also said with the same greeting. And, we, like those in the Middle East during a meeting, and then shake hands and embrace. 

Bedouin man was so small well-friendly. He then tells about gempuran fighter Israel. Discussion of where we go to a matter of secret tunnels in the border wall along the Egypt-Gaza Strip. This is the tunnel that Israel and be seen as a way to smuggle weapons by Hamas. 

During the day we find some local residents who want to speak and indicate where the tunnel is located, but it is always difficult. Because, usually people do not want to talk a matter of the tunnel, let alone show. Somehow. Therefore, when we mention the word "tunnel", he shocked the face, and laughing. 

"People here already know that there are many underground tunnels along the border in the Gaza Strip-Egypt. However, no one knows how many persisnya or roughly the amount, "said Ismail. 

"Subway is usually located in the home side in the Gaza Strip and to connect to home in on the side of Egypt. Extractive tunnel is approximately 15 to 20 meters in length and down to about 300 meters to 500 meters, "said Ismail. 

According to him, the subway is the only known is very limited, for example, the family only. He explains, between people in the Rafah-Egypt-Palestinian Rafah and the border walls only separate many who still have a belt of brotherhood. 

"Often they are still brothers it makes subway home between those in the Gaza Strip and the Egyptian territory. And, the tunnel is only of limited among members and their families who use the tunnel is also the only family members, "Ismail said while adding, can be said that the tunnel that they have family that is the tunnel. 

Therefore, it continued, could not the security apparatus, both Egypt and Israel, capable of destroying underground tunnels that, or anyone, because the subway is often a family secret, or that the population is very limited. 

If the tunnel and have successfully destroyed the security apparatus, there is certainly a membocorkannya. Ismail ago accuse the detective of Israel who loiter in Rafah, giving information concerning the tunnel. 

"I have heard spier Israel get rewarded 1000 U.S. dollars each to give him new information. Most of the detective are Palestinian citizens themselves, "said Ismail. 

No weapons 

Ismail also disputed the harder if the tunnel was used to smuggle weapons. According to him, the subway only smuggle food, beverages, and cigarettes from Egypt to the Gaza Strip, particularly since Israel blockade on the Gaza Strip. 

We separate the evening with a little information about the tunnel from Ismail. We pledge to meet again in the same place after Friday prayers the next day. 

Next day, Ismail met before, we play-play in the city of Rafah, Egypt. The day is Friday. The city as the city died because of community activities and new start after Friday prayers. 

Rafah looks so dirty. Waste-waste scattered in the streets of perforated. Buildings in the city that is shabby and dusty. When you have a car through, the dust fly. 

Citrus trees on the right side of the road that left the fruit with a thick yellow ripe not afford to turn on the atmosphere of Rafah. Keranuman oranges that are not able to overcome kelusuhan city. Leaves of olive trees and lush green fresh should change berselimutkan gray dust. 

Not interesting at all, the city. Of particular interest is in every way to the mouth of the border wall kept the army and police. Built at the mouth of the road barricade and, sometimes, they diparkir truck at the mouth of the road. Some also built barricade on the main road selebar six meter. Each vehicle is stopped and checked through. 

In a city that is why we met with seedy Walid, kid men age 13 years. This meeting was accidental. At that time we stopped in front of the house because a roar heard fighter Israel. We exit the car, you want to know what will happen. 

Kala that, from the roof of a house have a child who later we-know-named Walid shouting to us and bring us up to the roof house. We shall rise to three-floor roof of a house belonging to Walid parents. Walid still only the mother, only to see the beam eyes in amazement when we entered the house and ascend the stairs to the roof. (Trias Kuncahyono / Mustafa Abd Rahman, from Rafah) 



Source: Kompas

7,000 Students Apply Iran against Israel War

At least 7,000 students from the city of Isfahan in central Iran, on Monday (29/12), register for the fight against Israel.

"On the first day of registration for the fight against Zionis regime and help the Palestinian people, 7,000 students from various universities in Isfahan has voiced readiness," said Mohammad Zarifi, Perhimpunan members of Students Islamic Iran, as quoted Iranian news agency, Fars.

Still on the same day, another Iranian student group, Students Basij (Volunteer) from Tehran University, announced, the organization signed up volunteers to fight Israel.

Registration is done a day after Iran's spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a fatwa that states, who died in the war against Israel and defend the Gaza Strip will become a martyr.

"In response to the spiritual leader of the Fatwa Jihad (holy war), Basij students from universities throughout Iran have to register and registration will be opened tomorrow," said Alireza Zahedi, a member of Students at Tehran University Basij, without mentioning how many students have signed up.

"In the near future, students who registered will hold a meeting to convey willingness to fight for the spiritual leaders in the region (Palestine)," he said.

Thousands of Iranian people, including students, launched in the parade in Tehran Monday morning to condemn Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip. They brought a banner containing the slogan of anti-Israel and anti-US.

Since Saturday morning, Israel launched massive air attacks intended to say members of Hamas in the Gaza Strip and kill at least 345 people and injure more than 1,000 people.

Hamas controls the Gaza Strip, received strong support Iran, not acknowledge Israel as one of the countries of the international community.

At UN headquarters, New York, ambassador of Egypt and Palestine in the world body said on Monday, they asked the UN Security Council to make Israel comply with the invocation to immediately stop military action and violence in the Gaza Strip.

Ono
Source: Ant

Hizbullah Indonesia: Adili Petinggi Israel

Israel launched the attack to reap many Palestinian criticism, is no exception by the Jemaah Muslims (Hizbullah) of Indonesia. They criticize and proclaim to the International Court for memperadilkan petinggi Israel.

"I will send a letter to the International Court in The Hague, Netherlands, to haul the petinggi Israel is involved in action to judge this as war criminals," said Imaamul Indonesian Muslims Hizbullah, Muhyiddin Hamidy, in Jakarta, on Tuesday (30/12) .

In addition to send a letter to the International Court, on Tuesday (30/12), the Hizbullah also fly to the invocation of 53 embassies in Jakarta. "Currently there are already some of our members, is moving to deliver a letter calls for censure of Israel," he continued.

Hizbullah also raise funds to alleviate the burden and help the Palestinian citizens. "Already many people who contributed to both Muslims and non-Muslims, but we have not yet calculate the total amount," said Muhyiddin.

Muhyiddin also feel upset when Palestinian and Egyptian border is closed. "Later on how to distribute aid, the border is closed, bank transfer not possible. One way we will be lobbying the Government to open the Egyptian border, so that we can distribute aid," the blogosphere.

C11 08

Oil price surges on tensions in Middle East

PARIS: Oil prices surged Monday, lifting energy stocks and other commodities on concern that the Israeli attacks on Hamas would stoke tensions across the Middle East and disrupt crude supplies.

In a third straight day of deadly air strikes against Hamas Monday, Israeli warplanes pounded targets in Gaza. The attacks brought the death toll in Gaza to more than 300, according to Palestinian medical officials.

Those events underscored the market's sensitivity to conflict in a volatile region that produces a third of global crude. Some analysts also said crude is benefiting from heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, light, sweet crude for February delivery rose $1.05, or 2.8 percent, to $38.76 a barrel. It earlier touched a session high of $42.20. The February CBOT gold futures contract added 1.3 percent to $882.5 an ounce, while copper prices also rallied.

Helen Henton, head of commodity research at Standard Chartered Bank in London, said that while the price spike was driven by events in the Middle East, it also suggested that "over the longer term, the oil price has found a floor."

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Before the latest trouble in the Middle East, the price of a barrel had plunged - from a record $147.27 in July to a recent low of $33.87 Dec. 19 - as demand collapsed. The top exporters responded by slashing production.

This month, the oil producing cartel OPEC announced a 2.2 million barrel-a-day cut in output quotas, effective at the start of January. That was the third cut since September.

"As the OPEC cuts start to feed through, the market will appear tighter" and prices should start to rise Henton said.

Still, analysts stressed that the backdrop to the market remains one of soft demand as the world's major economies slip deeper into recession.

That was reflected by the December oil market reports from major official forecasters. The U.S. Department of Energy, the International Energy Agency and the OPEC Secretariat all significantly cut their estimates for oil demand growth forecasts for 2009.

In a research report released after the OPEC announcement this month, a Deutsche Bank analyst, Adam Sieminski, forecast that additional output cuts would be enacted throughout next year as demand stays soft.

Henton at Standard Chartered said that $40 a barrel appeared to be too low, as production cuts feed through, as emerging market economies are widely expected to recover by the start of 2010 and as it becomes apparent that extraction investment had slowed.

"There's a danger that the price could move quite sharply - there could be a crunch" in 2009, she said, as supply dwindles.

Still for coming months, she added, the outlook was for soft but "very volatile" prices.

European stocks were mostly higher Monday, following a similar pattern in Asia, lifted by energy and mining shares.

The FTSE 100 index in London gained 1.9 percent and the DAX in Frankfurt climbed 1.6 percent.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average shed 0.6 percent and the S&P 500 index lost 1.5 percent.

Martin Van Vliet, an economist at ING in Amsterdam, cautioned against assuming a meaningful end-of-year rally in European stocks given thin market conditions and continued weakness in financial stocks.

"Let's get into 2009 and see if there is some light at the end of the tunnel - then we can start thinking about a recovery in 2010," he said.

Energy and resource stocks led the gains in Europe. BP, the British oil company, added 4.2 percent and Repsol of Spain was up 1.9 percent. BHP Billiton, the world's biggest mining company, advanced 5.1 percent in London.

Several European data releases Monday served to highlight the weak state of activity in Europe. A survey of Italian business confidence fell to a fresh record low in December, plummeting to 66.6 from 71.6 in November, while Spanish producer price data and an inflation report from the German state of Saxony suggested that prices in the euro zone are still under downward pressure.

Asian stocks climbed as speculation about merger activity lifted insurers, while commodity producers advanced.

The Nikkei 225 stock average added 0.1 percent in Tokyo, while the Sensitive Index gained 1.4 percent in Mumbai. Markets in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines were closed.

War will be won or lost in Pakistan

By Dr. Terry Lacey, Development Economist

Growing Muslim social groups, with their companies and Small and Medium Enterprises, are leading the modernization of the Muslim world. They are the only ones who can win the battle for progress.

It is the coincidence of underdevelopment with economic and social backwardness and poor education that gives the greatest advantage to fundamentalist extremists, gangsters and warlords, but the West must desist from tactics that make such groups stronger.

It is sadly true that so far this battle has brought Islam itself into disrepute, arousing Islamophobia in the West and globally, and a wave of prejudice against Muslims

In the end Bin Laden and the fundamentalists cannot hijack Islam. They do not represent the majority. By the same token the West cannot hijack the saving of Islam. That is a task for Muslims.

Muslim leaders, their global position reinforced economically and politically by the emergence of a more equitable New Economic Order, now have to use their increased economic leverage to persuade the West to change track.

The end of the Bush presidency and the arrival of President Obama provide the opportunity to do this. But it is an opportunity that could easily be lost if the U.S is overwhelmed by domestic pressures and if the new US foreign policy team fails to break the Bush mould.

The war in Afghanistan can easily be lost there, but it cannot be won in Afghanistan alone.

The focus is moving from the Middle East to Asia. The terrorist target is moving more squarely against the one thing that can marginalize and defeat them – economic success. The Mumbai attacks emphasized this, as well as trying to drive a wedge between India and Pakistan.

Despite many unresolved contradictions, fundamentalist extremists are being squeezed out of the Middle East where most countries have tightened security and are increasingly battened down against them.

Once the main US and British forces leave Iraq the foreign extremists still there lose their rationale. Their time in Iraq is running out.

Pakistan is now the weakest link in the Muslim chain.

It is the base for Al Qaeda and a secure haven for the Afghan Taliban. It is developing an insurgency of its own led by a coalition of the Pakistan Taliban, tribal groups and political elements opposed to the new government. This insurgency and terrorism are spilling over into India. There is the risk it will spread into Central and Southern Asia.

Moreover Pakistan has an economic crisis and had to bring in the IMF (one of the few Muslim countries in this position). Pakistan has a weak democracy and a new government trying to establish its leadership.

A large scale internal guerilla war will not solve these problems. It would make them worse.

The wind of change is blowing throughout the Muslim world, especially in the North Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

A wave of petrol dollar liquidity has bolstered the Gulf States, strengthening new economic and investment links with the Middle East countries, Asia and Europe.

But those who politically manipulate Islam and this multiplicity of separatist, criminal and tribal interests seem to understand what the wind of change means for them. It means loss of power and money. It means the end. They must try to stop or delay the new economic developments.

However, those who use Islamic fundamentalism as a mercantile trade label, and who make coalitions with fundamentalists when it suits them, will have no interest to do so if they can no longer hold onto local power or make money that way.

So the development strategy deployed must focus on breaking these links and creating alternative opportunities for their followers, so that the sons and daughters of gangsters and warlords will have other options and help to supplant their parents. The fundamentalist attempt at theocratic revolution must be defeated by their children. Better prospects. More carrots, Less sticks.

The coming battle for the hearts and minds of Muslims and the economic and political future of Muslim countries will be lost or won in Pakistan. Neither the Muslim world nor the West can afford that this battle is lost in a state with a pivotal geo-political position and possessing nuclear weapons.

Muslim countries and the West should focus hard on how to support and help Pakistan before it is too late.

The majority of Pakistanis have already voted for change. Now they need the material means and support to achieve it, and help to strengthen their leadership, capacity and civil society.

That’s how you win a modern war. By fighting the war on want, security and policing issues must become subordinated to political and economic strategy, instead of the reverse

Indonesia Send Cash 1 Million U.S. Dollars and medicine to Palestine

The Government of Indonesia is not only hard slash air attack Isreal and the membabibuta not proportional to the residential area of Gaza, Palestine. However, also provide care and attention that most of the casualties and residents safe.

For that, the Indonesian government will provide cash assistance worth 1 million U.S. dollars. Cash assistance that outside aid medicines to be sent in immediately to the conflict in the Palestinian territories.

Therefore, President Yudhoyono presented information in the press after a meeting led To a limited air attack Israel at the Office of the President, Palace Complex, Jakarta, on Monday (29/12) yesterday afternoon.

In the description, accompanied President Yudhoyono Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Widodo Law of the U.S., Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono, a TNI General Djoko Santoso, State Secretary Minister Hatta Radjasa, and the Director General of Multilateral Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Rezlan A Djeni.

"In accordance with the Constitution, Indonesia will continue to play an active role and is ready to contribute for the realization of peace and security in the Gaza Strip. We will continue to monitor developments in Gaza. And, Indonesia will make all efforts, regional and multilateral, by the recovery in the situation there. In cash, Indonesia will send aid of 1 million U.S. dollars. Help is on the outside of cash assistance medicines, which will also be sent, "said the President Yudhoyono.

According to the President, also called for the world community to provide immediate humanitarian aid to the Palestinian citizens who now mesulitan. Ironically, the attacks that occurred in the middle of the Islam celebrate the New Year and towards the Islamic New Year's Day. Therefore, the international community should provide care and attention, added the President.

Imbauan, the more the President, elaborated in the new suratnya signed in the meeting is limited. The letter sent to the Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon and President of the Security Council Neven Jurica United Nations.

HAR

Some countries Suggest India-Pakistan peace

Of the political situation between India and Pakistan as a result of terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India made some countries such as the United States, Russia and China, calls on both countries to bury the hatchet.

The United States and Russia lead the invocation of international order that Islamabad and New Delhi behave calmly in the face of situations such as this. It also made the same China. One of the closest allies of Pakistan is also involved in efforts to ease tensions that occur there.

Beijing even send Deputy Foreign Minister He Yafei to Islamabad to confer with Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, and other officials of Pakistan, on Monday (29/12).

Leaders of the two countries, both India and Pakistan, repeatedly emphasized not want a war occurred. However, they will act if diprovokasi. Both countries are neighbors are involved in three wars since Pakistan gained its independence from Britain in 1947. Two of war concerning the Kashmir problem.

C11-08

Thousands of supporting Thaksin Shinawatra, the Bangkok cordon parliament

Thousands of supporters and former Prime Minister of Thailand Thaksin Shinawatra, on Monday (29/12) afternoon was envelop parliament building to demand the dissolution of government and new elections diselenggarakannya.

The sense memblokade entrance parliament, so that not one member of parliament can enter the building, including Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

"If they want to enter, they must pass through us, including the Prime Minister," said Chatuporn Prompan the memimpun action to journalists outside the parliament building.

The feeling generally impose T-shirt red with the slogan "Truth Today." They bring a variety of posters that essentially call Abhisit as a dictator.

"We are here for democracy," said Narumol Thanakarnpanich, a man aged 53 years old who is also a professor at the university. "We want the new government," he added.

To avoid collision, PM Abhisit Vejjajiva forced to delay the announcement until the new policy Tuesday. Not closed the possibility that the announcement was made Wednesday and even the future, even though that day is a holiday.

"We will still try to make negotiation and mediation," said Abhisit to the supporters. "I ask all the people, including members of parliament and officials liburnya day dedicated to the interests of the country," he added.

The sense that the Democratic Alliance for himself against the Dictator states will stay in parliament until the government hold a general election.

Based on the provisions, the new government under the leadership Abhisit PM should announce policies on 7 January, but some experts said that the government can delay consideration on the basis of political turmoil.

According to Deputy PM Suthep Thaugsuban, if the announcement could not be held Monday, it can dlakukan next day. "We want to convey political statmen before the end of this year," he said.

The sense that wear red states that the Party Abhisit and Demokranya appear as the new ruler through a coup d'etat fine (virtual coup d'etat).

According to The sense that support Thaksin, the decision of the court topple Thaksin government and the election Abhisit as new PM made under the pressure of military strength and the other is very strong.

Abhisit (44), a graduate of Oxford, officially appointed to be Thai PM on December 17 last. Abhisit appointment to replace Thaksin was expected to immediately end the political turmoil that lasted for a month, the action is colored by the Bangkok international airport.

In pelantikannya speech, Abhisit said the reunification of Thailand, which split the nation so divided in the country and restore the image of the white elephant is as famous tourist destination. For, the airport for eight days by the mass outs when Thaksin has caused the destruction of tourism of Thailand.

MSH
Source: AP

Gus Dur disappointed at Israel, Hamas recommend Back to the point Diplomacy

Former President Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) criticize the military action Israel to attack Palestinian territory. In a press release received in Jakarta, Monday (29/12), Gus Dur mentioned conservative people of Israel behind the attacks that shut.

Any violence conducted by Israel this conservative nation, said Gus Dur, will never be complete in the conflict there. He emphasized, the way to resolve problems through violence would lead Israel and Palestine on the disintegration.

Gus Dur issued a statement that the air attacks related large-scale Israel in the Gaza Strip to respond to rocket attacks of the Palestinian strugglers to Israel. Israel attacks reported so far cut about 300 people and menciderai about 600 people.

According to Gus Dur, attacks Israel is a violation of human rights and the principles of the peace cultivated in the Middle East, especially in Palestine. Gus Dur attack Israel rate is excessive reaction. Zionis countries that can not quibble that the attack death as a form of self protection.

Israel, he added, also can not quibble that this attack is the reaction to the previous Hamas attacks or as a form of self protection. Therefore, said Gus Dur, military, Israel must immediately stop and reverse serangannya from the Palestinian territories, particularly Gaza Strip.

To the U.S., it also calls to leave the ways of violence to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. This is important to conservative people of Israel did not make it as a pretext for retaliatory conduct.

"Hamas needs to go back in the diplomatic struggle and negotiation, not with the point that violence will make the Palestinian people as victims," he said.

WAH
Source: Between

Halle Berry and Steven Spielberg to help fund the party learned Barack Obama.

The Hollywood stars, among others, Halle Berry and Steven Spielberg, and the boss of the giant information technology companies to open their wallet to help fund the party learned Barack Obama.

Obama, in line with the commitment to clean up the political influence of someone from the U.S., has ordered that the names of all contributors inauguration ceremony, which concealed the previous president, announced on the internet.

The list of contributors for the Jan. 20 inauguration celebration, it shows that Spielberg and his wife, Kate, each with a donation to provide the maximum value 50,000 U.S. dollars.

Actress Halle Berry, who is listed as a staff production company owns, bumper Inc., also provide 50,000 U.S. dollars, as well as actors and comedians Jamie Foxx. Sharon Stone also contribute as much as 50,000 U.S. dollars.

Funds inauguration Obama also received large donations from the Internet and the giant U.S. software industry. Google CEO, Eric Schmidt, who served in the council of economic advisers Obama campaign, giving 25,000 U.S. dollars, as well as the founders of Google, Larry Page, and Vice President of Google, Marissa Mayer. Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft, contributed 50,000 U.S. dollars, as is his wife, Connie.

Former basketball star and businessman Earvin "Magic" Johnson also gave 25,000 U.S. dollars and five family members, investors and financial speculator George Soros as the world's 250,000 U.S. dollars.

The fund is required to pay for a series of celebration events on the day of inauguration. Major contributor will receive tickets and special VIP access to the various events.

Obama Committee, with different committees inauguration, it is affirming the government would not accept donations from corporations, political action committees, unions, or registered pelobi donors who are not U.S. citizens, such reports AFP.

Ono
Source: Ant

Norodom Sihanouk Fight Against Cancer

Former Cambodian king, Norodom Sihanouk is still struggling against cancer diseases that have experienced this three times. However, in a message on the site, he was sure to recover and return home after a treatment in China.

Sinahouk (86), in a statement Wednesday (24/12), said he was treated by team doctors in Beijing because of China's lymphoma cancer B. He can estimate the return to Cambodia in February 2009.

Sihanouk, the central figure in Cambodian politics for six decades, in 2004 as prime ill-weakly. He replaced one of her sons, Norodom Sihamoni, and since then he spends much time in China.

In the last few years, he suffered a number of diseases, including colon cancer, diabetes, hypertension, stroke and two times.

Sihanouk is one of the world famous leader who is still alive. He has the experience of various kinds of war, Khmer Rouge terror and political turmoil that continues to haunt the government since independence from France in the early 1950's.
Ono
Source: AP

Thai leader proposes $8.7 billion stimulus package

Thailand's prime minister said Friday the government wants to spend 300 billion baht ($8.7 billion) next year to jump-start the country's ailing economy.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the economic stimulus package would include increased lending from government banks for agriculture projects and direct lending to local governments for infrastructure projects.

The plan must first be approved by Parliament, where Abhisit's coalition has a slim majority.

"The plan will be announced in January and the budget needs to be approved by the parliament first and it is expected that the money could be injected (into the economy) from March or April,'' Abhisit told reporters.

The Thai government is desperate to help the country's ailing economy which the Fiscal Policy Office projected this week could grow by only 1 percent next year. It attributed the weak growth next year a drop in domestic consumption and damage to the export sector from the worsening global economy.

The Federation of Thai Industries on Thursday told The Bangkok Post that it expects 1.1 million employees will lose their jobs by the second quarter of next year as a result of the slowdown.

On top of that, the tourism sector which is a key engine of growth is expected to suffer next year from the global slowdown and lingering effects from the shutdown of Bangkok's two main airports for a week last month by anti-government protesters. The tourism authority estimates the number of tourists will decline over the next six months by 2.5 million, costing the industry 100 billion baht ($3 billion).

Together, these factors could push the economy into a recession.

Sompob Manarungsan, an economics professor at Chulalongkorn University, said he felt the stimulus plan could help counter the slowdown in exports and inflow of foreign investment. But he said much will depend on how it is carried out.

"First, we have to see how fast it can stimulate the economy,'' Sompob said.

MCA branch illegally occupied

UALA LUMPUR: A police report has been lodged at the Gombak district police headquarters near here over illegal occupation of the office premises of the Taman Selayang Baru MCA branch on Dec 8.

Branch chairman Heng Kai Hiyong had lodged the report on Dec 11, claiming that the office premises in Batu Caves near here had its lock changed, the MCA signboard removed, the building repainted and the pictures within replaced.

Selayang MCA Division chairman Datuk Tang See Hang, who broke the lock Friday, said Heng noticed the change when he came to the premises at about 8pm on Dec 8.

He said the building was put up with donations from MCA members and the public and was used as the MCA office and a hall was used for party and social activities as well as for student activities on Sundays.

Tang said he had also referred the incident to the Selayang Municipal Council president Zainal Abidin Azim.

“As we have all the documents pertaining to the building, the municipal council president said no one else could take over the premises,” he said.

Tang said none of the items within the premises was missing but the pictures on the walls had been replaced with pictures of activities conducted by the trespassers.

“All the tables, chairs, a karaoke set, the PA system, air conditioner, steel cabinets and small items are safe,” he said.

“We have lodged a police report and our lawyers are handling the case. What happened was something illegal because anyone who had wanted to use our hall should have sought our permission,” he said. -- Bernama

Country’s defence is strong, says Shahbaz

LAHORE, Dec 25: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif says Pakistan’s defence is very strong and invulnerable and no power on the earth can succeed in its evil designs against it.

He was speaking at a meeting held to observe the 133rd birthday of the Quaid-i-Azam under the auspices of the Pakistan Movement Workers Trust and Nazaria-i-Pakistan Foundation at the Ghulam Haider Wyne Auditorium here on Thursday.

The chief minister said while the Quaid-i-Azam and Allama Iqbal founded Pakistan helped by the dedicated leaders and the workers of the Muslim League, the people worked hard to make their country strong and invulnerable, particularly after its scientists made it a nuclear power.

He said the process of making Pakistan a nuclear power, which had been initiated by the late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and helped by the successive governments was culminated with the nuclear tests carried out by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 1998 making Pakistan the first atomic power of the Muslim world.

It was Pakistan’s nuclear capability that India could not dare to attack Pakistan in 2002 when it had deployed troops along its borders and even now could never dare to attack it though it had been hurling all sorts of threats since the Mumbai attacks last month.

Mr Shahbaz said the Mumbai attacks were condemnable and all sections of people of Pakistan and politicians had condemned them. Pakistan had already offered to India for cooperation in investigating the attacks. India had not provided any solid evidence, but its leaders and media were busy making all sorts of accusations against Pakistan.

The chief minister said Pakistan was itself a victim of terrorism and “we have evidence of India’s involvement in the acts of terrorism in Balochistan and tribal areas of Pakistan.”

He said that an Indian army colonel had been founded in carrying out bomb blast in Samjhauta Express while it was on its way from Delhi to Lahore early this year. Similarly, there were many other instances of involvement of Indian elements in acts of terrorism in Pakistan.

He said that while Pakistan had become a nuclear power and was capable of defending its borders it was facing an economic crisis and the government was begging for financial help from international donors and various countries, which was against its honour and dignity.

In his welcome address, Pakistan Movement Workers Trust chairman Dr Javid Iqbal said that the Quaid’s vision of making Pakistan an Islamic, democratic welfare state had not been realised by the nation and every ruler had been violating his principles.

He said that making Pakistan an Islamic state meant that the people’s problems should be solved in the light of the Islamic principles. The welfare state was meant to provide the people with the social security, enough food and fibre at reasonable prices and necessary facilities for their healthcare and education.

A democratic state provides the people their right to elect their representatives independently. “If we can evolve our state affairs on these lines we can boast to revive the system of governance introduced by the pious Caliphs (Khulafa-i-Raashideen) of Islam.

He said the two-nation theory was the very basis of Pakistan which must be strictly upheld by the nation for its own survival.

The theory, he said, demanded elimination of all kind of regional, parochial and sectarian prejudices and development of the spirit of tolerance and brotherhood.

He said that India’s recent expression of sentiments of aggression against our country called for strengthening the basis of the ideology of Pakistan to silence the Indian outbursts against Pakistan.

It is heartening that the whole nation is united against these Indian threats and the need of the hour is to strengthen this unity and solidarity of the nation.

Dr Iqbal said the PMWT had so far awarded 950 gold medals to workers of the Pakistan Movement and disbursed a sum of Rs8.6 million as financial aid to them. He said that 671 gold medalists were from Punjab, 116 from the NWFP, 104 from Sindh, 16 from Balochistan and 32 from Bangladesh.

Foundation chairman Majid Nizami said that the Quaid-i-Azam’s main purpose of establishing Pakistan was to solve the economic problems of the Muslims of the subcontinent.

He said it was heartening to note that the Punjab government was taking measures to ameliorate the social conditions of the common man, particularly in the education and health sectors. Foundation secretary Dr Rafiq Ahmad and Shahid Rashid also addressed.

The chief minister gave 47 gold medals to the living workers of the Pakistan movement and the posthumous awards to their relatives. They include 29 from four provinces of Pakistan and 18 from Bangladesh.
source:dawn.com

Jobless Philippine workers head home

Americans were already defaulting on home payments when Gertrudes Capili mortgaged her modest farm near Manila to help send her two granddaughters to Taiwan.

There they worked in a factory making microchips for appliances sold to a US consumer market on the verge of collapse.

Little did the 90-year-old grandmother know that the US subprime meltdown and subsequent financial crisis would come home to roost in Angono, a lakeshore town east of Manila where she lives with a daughter and two granddaughters in a cramped 34m2 plywood and sheet iron home.

A nearby river often overflows and floods the ground floor in the rain, and the warped furniture, bought with the granddaughters’ earnings, has to be replaced every year.

“Huge debts and a splitting headache,” 24-year-old Bernadette Cortas said when asked what she earned from her stint at the ASE semiconductor factory near Taipei, which serves electronics giants such as Motorola and Epson.

Both she and her cousin Cristina de Borja now wear horn-rimmed glasses, the result of working long hours in front of tiny circuit boards.

Just eight months after the cousins got their jobs, which netted them about NT$20,000 (US$600) a month after food and lodging expenses, they were shipped back home along with 103 other Filipinos as the company cut staff amid plunging global electronics demand.

Cortas would be an apt poster child of the Philippine economic diaspora.

Once a giggly, leggy teenage schoolgirl, she is now a college dropout who had worked in a fast food restaurant to put herself through high school.

The oldest of five children of an unemployed bus driver who lives with another woman, Cortas single-handedly fed, housed and put her siblings through school.

Her mother works as a maid in Saudi Arabia but has a new boyfriend and no longer gives money to the family, Cortas said. When Cortas lost her job the siblings also had to quit school.

Jobless, penniless and deep in debt, she is staring down a bleak Christmas, unable to pay back the 50,000-peso (US$1,048) loan she and de Borja had secured with grandma’s 2,000m2 farm as collateral.

The loan only covered part of their “job placement fees” of 85,000 pesos each which was mainly paid for by commercial money lenders that charge interest rates of 2 percent a month.

Cortas does not even have money to go home to Rosario town south of Manila for Christmas and is temporarily staying at her grandmother’s.

Their desperation has seen them line up overnight outside a Manila television station last weekend for a game show that offered a house and 1 million pesos in prizes.

Both missed out because “they appeared to favor domestic helpers,” de Borja said.

The cousins are just two among some 8 million Filipinos — 10 percent of the population — who have joined an economic diaspora.

The government says several hundred “overseas Filipino workers” have lost their jobs because of the global crisis, which the International Labor Organization has warned could see as many as 20 million people put out of work by the end of next year.

The two cousins have filed a suit to get a refund of part of their placement fee, which had guaranteed them contracts for two years in Taiwan.

While no one can be jailed in the Philippines for failing to pay a debt, they need to repay the loans to avoid becoming blacklisted by labor recruiters.

De Borja, 30, a former Manila pharmaceutical company worker, said a job in the Philippines is not appealing because of the low pay.

Two in five Filipinos live on US$2 or less a day and a third of the labor force is either out of work or underemployed at any one time.

De Borja said she has pawned or sold most of her jewelry to try to pare down debts.
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Obama Ready to publish Blagojevich Case

U.S. President elected Barack Obama will disclose details of the contacts that have been held between the staff transisinya with Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich early this week. Blagojevich terjerat legal claim on the federal involvement in efforts to sell the Illinois senate seat abandoned by Obama.

Obama is the internal report will be presented at the latest on Tuesday (23/12). The report estimated that the holiday will not be disrupted for 12 days in the area of origin Obama Hawaii, which starts Saturday (20/12). Obama does not have plans to deliver a public statement about the internal report on the application of the federal prosecutor who check several witnesses in this public corruption cases.

Obama announces transition team Vice President Joe Biden will be selected to observe the new U.S. government efforts to establish task force to consider the welfare of the community from the economic middle class. This task force involving the 4 members of the cabinet and several presidential advisors.

"The aim of the formation of the task force is to recommend the proposal to ensure the economic middle class people no longer feel abandoned," said Biden.

JIM
Source: AP

Russia provided Iran Air Defense System

The Government of Iran, Sunday (21/12), confirming Russia will procure new air defense system to the Islamic countries.

As reported the news department official, Deputy Head of Iran's Security Commission, Ismael Kowsari said that after several months negotiations, Iran reached an agreement with Russia for the delivery of air defense systems worth 300 million dollars. The system is known as SAZO.

Ismael Kowsari said the system will strengthen Iran's ability to maintain air areas of the country.

Russia not only has military cooperation with Iran but also for nuclear cooperation. Center nuclear power cooperation with Russia on the island of Bushehr, southern Iran will operate year 2009.

Although Iran asserts projects nuklirnya only for peaceful purpose, the U.S. and Israel fear Iran will create a secret nuclear weapons program. Emergency U.S. and Israel increased since Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad threaten to destroy the Jewish state from the Middle East.

Ono
Source: Ant

Obama and the Islamic World

In the campaign, the President of the United States selected, Barack Obama, promised to visit Muslim countries to express their vision.

Once elected, he again emphasized the importance of U.S. relations with Muslim countries. There are a number of Muslim countries that will be the first purpose of his visit, namely Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, and Indonesia. Hits it is very important, especially in the framework of direct vision of the government to listen to Obama to the Islamic world.

So far the dominant attitude of the Islamic world against Obama split in two. First, optimistic attitude. In many opportunities, the Islamic world in general welcomed its Obama as a step forward for democracy and political policies in the Middle East.

Hashem Soleh (2008) states, Obama is the hope for all parties to tegaknya democracy in the Middle East. In principle, Obama will change the design of democracy in general. Democracy is real and substantive has been providing the possibility of changes.

Oil Prices Reach 36 U.S. Dollar

World oil prices reached 36 U.S. dollars per barrel, Friday (19/12) or the lowest point in the four subsequent statement that OPEC cutting production is unable to raise the price of oil. Trade in New York, oil for delivery of light sweet January increased a few cents from 36.26 dollars per barrel from 36.04 dollars per opening barrel. Crude oil contract Thursday (18/12) to achieve this kind of lowest point since July 2004 with 36.22 dollars per barrel during trading on Thursday. Similarly, the oil of Brent North Sea for delivery in February and diminished to survive 2.17 dollars per barrel at 43.36. Pelambatan economic glonal fear and decrease demand for more energy to make the price of oil from the highest exchange 147 dollars per barrel in July. To raise prices, OPEC, which supply 40 percent of the world's oil needs and agreed on Wednesday cut their production by 2.2 million barrels per day, or 7 percent of the total production cartel. Cutting it was the third time in three months and the largest reduction since the cartel reduce production in 1982. Before cutting, the OPEC target of 27.3 per day million barrels per day.

Clinton Releases List of Donors

As a form of support for the best way for them to become Minister of Foreign Affairs of the U.S., Bill Clinton has released a list of names of contributors foundations dipimpinnya. Donors Clinton Foundation is very diverse, ranging from Hollywood artists to international donors, so the Associated Press, Friday (19/12). Donations and foreign countries to achieve the Clinton Foundation, 46 million U.S. dollars, including donations from Saudi Arabia, Norway and India. Companies that contribute to Clinton between Blackwater and Yahoo. In the name celebrities there are Barbra Streisand, Steven Spielberg, Paual Newman, Carly Simon and Chevy Chase. From the field of sport to contribute, among other New York Yankees boss, George Steinbrenner, the Formula One drivers Michael Schumacher and the owner of the club basketball Indiana pacers. Foundation named the official, William J Clinton Foundation, it received a total donation of 492 million U.S. dollars. This non-profit foundation to fund Clinton library in Little Rock, Arkansas and fund projects and poverty reduction and AIDS prevention in a number of countries. There are 205,000 donors who contributed to Clinton Foundation, including the number of foreign contributors of less than 3,000 donors. Saudi Arabia gives Clinton 10 to 25 million U.S. dollars. AUSAID and COPRESIDA-Secretariado Coaching each contributed 10 and 25 million U.S. dollars. Norway to give between 5 to 10 million U.S. dollars, while Kuwait, Qatar, Brunei and Oman each provide between 1 to 5 million U.S. dollars. Government Yamaika and Italy each give 50,000 and 100,000 U.S. dollars. Dutch national lottery to contribute between 5 to 10 million U.S. dollars.