More than 50 dead across Iraq

Gunmen storm police chief's home killing 14 people in spray of bullet

By JOHN F. BURNS, New York Times
First published: Saturday, June 9, 2007

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- More than 50 people were killed in attacks across Iraq on Friday, including 14 who died when gunmen stormed a police chief's home northeast of Baghdad and raked the occupants with automatic fire.

The police chief, staying elsewhere for the night, survived. His wife and son were among the dead.

At least 34 others were killed in two bombing attacks, one in the northern city of Daquq, about 30 miles south of Kirkuk, and the other in the southern city of Qurna, 60 miles north of Basra. In a familiar pattern, both bombings involved successive explosions set at close quarters in crowded areas, a technique often used to maximize casualties.

The Daquq bombings struck a Shiite mosque and a nearby police station. The attack began when two suicide bombers detonated explosive vests in the forecourt of a mosque frequented by supporters of the Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, followed by a car bomb close by, according to the local police. They said at least 19 people died, and more than 20 were injured.

The Qurna blasts involved two vehicle bombs, one in a minibus in a bus terminal, the other in a car beside a nearby market. The police said at least 15 people were killed and more than 30 wounded.

Turkey shells Kurds Turkish forces shelled Kurdish rebel positions across the border in northern Iraq, Iraqi Kurd officials reported to the Associated Press Friday, heightening fears that the fighting could flare into a larger conflict and draw in the U.S.

Turkey has been building up its forces along the border with Iraq, and its leaders are debating whether to stage a major incursion to pursue separatist rebels who cross over from bases in Iraq to attack Turkish targets. Such an operation could ignite a wider conflict involving Iraqi Kurds, and disrupt Turkey's ties with its NATO ally, the United States.

Iran has also clashed with Iranian Kurd fighters who have bases in remote, mountainous areas of northern Iraq, and Iranian forces reportedly participated in the overnight shelling.

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, or PUK, the party of Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, reported the Turkish and Iranian shelling on its Web site.

Source :TimesUnion.com

Putin 'floors opponents'

08/06/2007 14:02 - (SA)

Heiligendamm, Germany - With the abruptness and skill of a real-life judo black belt, Russia's President Vladimir Putin floored foes at the Group of Eight summit and single-handedly defused mounting East-West tensions.

Putin, attending his last Group of Eight summit before leaving office next year, arrived in Heiligendamm, Germany, the odd man out.

In a pre-summit interview the Kremlin leader issued a chilling threat to resume Cold War nuclear missile targeting if Washington insisted on building an anti-missile system in central Europe.

But Putin turned peacemaker and stole the G8 show with a stunning proposal on Thursday to President George W Bush on hosting the system at a Russian base.

"Putin's statement after meeting Bush was a sensation," the Russian business daily Vedomosti said on Friday.

Rather than shake his fist at G8 critics, Putin "on the contrary proposed to Bush a solution that could really interest Washington and ease the red-hot atmosphere", the Vremya Novostei daily wrote.

The drama wrong-footed Bush and other Western leaders who had signalled a tough stance against what many in the West see as Putin's unacceptable clampdown on democracy and increasingly aggressive foreign policy.

'He's always playing a game'

Analysts say that behind Putin's surprise announcement lie carefully thought-out tactics - echoing techniques in the president's much loved sport of judo - but not always much substance.

"He's always playing a game. The game is about raising tension so that then he can take an unexpected step to reverse this," Fyodor Lukyanov, editor of Russia in Global Affairs, told AFP.

"This game of nerves strengthens his hand in negotiations."

Yevgeny Volk at the US-based Heritage Foundation said that "Putin managed to steer the summit away from questions like human rights."

"He invented a huge scandal over the American plan for missile defences, then intervened dramatically, so that he could appear to solve the problem. Everyone's clapping and cheering. I think it's rather crude," Volk told AFP.

Behind the smiles in Germany real disagreements linger, particularly over democratic rights in Russia ahead of the 2008 presidential election when Putin is to stand aside.

Critics say the process will be heavily stage-managed to ensure a member of Putin's inner circle takes over, while true opponents are refused a chance to compete.

There is also concern in the European Union and the US over the steady strengthening of the state's hand in the booming energy-based Russian economy.

Just before the G8, Bush accused Putin of "derailing" democracy, while British Prime Minister Tony Blair warned that Russia risked seeing an exit of investors if it refused to accept "shared values".

Lukyanov said such worries will survive Putin's star performance at the G8 summit.

"Did he manage to neutralise his critics? Overall, no, of course, because nothing has changed. The lack of trust in Russia regarding democracy and its policies remains," Lukyanov said.

Source :news24.com

JFK airport plot 'a US setup'

06/06/2007 08:17 - (SA)

Port Of Spain - The four suspects in an alleged terror plot to bomb a New York airport were set up in an elaborate plan by the US Republican party to retain hold of the White House, the daughter of an arrested suspect claimed on Tuesday.

Huda Ibrahiim, daughter of Amir Kareem Ibrahiim, one of four men accused of plotting acts of terrorism against the United States, said US justice officials had engaged in entrapment in breaking up the alleged plot.

Huda, 20, speaking on behalf of the Trinidad and Tobago and the Guyanese Shi'ite Muslim community, read from a prepared statement in a press conference at a hotel in Port Of Spain.

She said the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) informant key to breaking up the alleged plot had presented himself as an Islamic missionaryfrom the United States while visiting the homes of Abdul Kadir and Amir Ibrahiim.

The FBI's informant, whom she called "the source", "is the only person culpable of any of the activities mentioned in the complaint.

Intent to entrap

"The source visited our brothers with the specific intent to entrap them in activities they know nothing about, never agreed to and did not participate in," said Huda.

Her 62-year-old father, 56-year-old former Guyanese parliamentarian Abdul Kadir, along with Russell De Freitas and Abdel Nur, both of Guyanese heritage, allegedly plotted to blow up fuel-tank pipelines at New York City's John F Kennedy International Airport.

Ibrahiim, a Trinidadian, and Kadir appeared in Trinidad court on Monday while Nur gave himself up to local authorities on Tuesday. All three men are facing extradition to the US where De Frietas has already been arraigned.

"We believe that the persons responsible for the arrest of our brothers are doing it for a purpose other than the protection of the people and interests of the USA," Huda said.

"They have apparently done so in the interest of shoring up a lame duck presidency and increasing the lame chances of the Republican party being returned to power in November 2008", said Huda, whose father is a retired government accounts clerk.

'Sure of their innocence'

She also said her father was afraid to fly, was not computer literate and does not use the internet.

"We are absolutely sure of their innocence. Neither of these men and we believe no one in our community participates in activities as those alleged in the public statements or in the filed complaint of the Department of Justice", she said.

As believers in Islamic Sharia, they followed the cardinal principles of the Koran, she said, including the principle that the blood of civilians is sacred.

"To our Muslim brothers and sisters we swear by Allah, the Lord of Muhammad, that we have not participated in any terrorist plot against the United States," she added.

Source :news24.com

Service Crisis in SA

The Current Public Services Crisis in South Africa

We see it daily on e-tv news, sabc news, and local newspapers and even on some international news channels. The public service crisis that hit South Africa, the question I put to you is why they doing it? What will it achieve? If you really think about it, it’s doing more damage to them and the country’s population as a whole than benefiting. Why I say this?

Well firstly lets just say the Government “gives in” to their demands and increase their wages. And yes sure the government does have a lot of money coming into its coffers annually through tax and various other means and can afford to submit to their demands. But the consequences for this decision can be disastrous to the South African Economy. Firstly if the government “gives in” basically you looking at hundreds and thousands of people with higher salaries thus larger spending power. To some this may seem to be a good thing as people with more money results in a richer and grander economy and to an extent higher income per capita (Net National Income divided by the population) and to some this may mean there is economic growth. Its true there is slight economic growth but realistically we are just fooling ourselves. This is because of inflation rising & interest rates rising which will be caused if the Government does give in to their demands which is most likely what could happen. Inflation will rise, as the wage increase will mean there will be more money circulating in the Economy, which in most cases is bad. As firstly we are not a “savings” population but rather a “spenders” population, i.e. we spend most of our disposable income as possible and to the extent of even buying on credit. Thus because of the increase in spending as people will want to fulfill their desires, through supply & demand prices will go up as there will be excess demand for various goods and services thus there will be an increase in prices. Secondly because we spending beyond our means and not saving our money in banks there wont be enough money for banks to finance essential capital investments for businesses, with the result that businesses will not be able to expand their production resulting in demand not been met which will in turn increase prices for products as there will be a low supply of goods & services. You may also say that the Government has a lot of money but this is actually not true as a lot of the money that the government gets is used to Fund various projects and used to pay for public services that the population requires and the countries requires in order for stability, so where will it find money to pay for the increase? Therefore to pay for the wage increase the Government may even have to increase the tax rate (Direct or Indirect) for businesses and normal residents thus for businesses to continue running efficiently and profitably the increase tax is simply included in the increased price of the product. Therefore there will be an increase in the price of products and services. Also for citizens, their disposable income will be further reduced as already a substantial part of their salary is gone for tax and now because of tax increase this substantial amount will be much higher.

Also SARB to curve inflation caused by the this wage increase SARB will be forced into increasing interest rates to tempt people to save more and spend less, but there is also a negative side to this. Loans and Bonds will be more expensive to pay and people will not be able to afford to even live comfortably as most of their money will be going towards repaying the loan or bond. Resulting in more empty pockets for even the workers that are currently striking as many of them have Home Loans, Bonds etc.

The above is just one aspect. We cannot forget the fact that there is continuous oil/petrol price hikes. This compounded with the weakening Rand (as most goods that we use are imported). Will result in increases in prices for goods & services, thus inflation being higher. Taking these 2 very major factors into account, and the fact that this wage increase could lead to an increase on the tax rate, as the government will need to find a way to pay for the increase. With inclusion of the wage increase and the above factors we can assume that it will lead to a much higher inflation rate and in turn will affect not only the normal people but also the workers that are currently striking. As maybe not immediately but eventually they will still not be able to afford the things that they desire and will see their pockets getting empty again. Thus bringing them back to the same position they in now.

So what as South Africans do we do? As at the moment the country is literally at a halt. As public services are essential to any country’s success and without it there is chaos we are currently seeing it on the news, Schools been closed, hospitals not working efficiently etc. There is a way out of it though its what SARB also tries to tell people continuously “SAVE” and spend wisely. Do not spend beyond our means. Appreciate for what we got as clearly if we demand for more like how people are now the consequences of it can be disastrous. As if there is a salaries increase without simultaneous production increase then there will be inflation. It’s for these reasons that the Government is not giving in to the demands, as they know what will happen. Now the workers need to also understand this. The above also holds for any other workers in any industry in this country. But businesses must also realize they cant exploit and pay “peanuts” to its workers. And Workers must realize that they must appreciate. The South African people must look at other countries and how they operate and the people that live there, China, Vietnam, Thailand, India sure there is a bit of unfairness but what we must learn from them is the fact that they appreciate and they happy for even earning $7 a day because they know at least they will be able to put food on their table as because labour is cheap resulting in prices of goods been cheap therefore people can survive on their current wages. You may say they are been exploited well to an extent in these countries they are, and there should be given higher salaries but not to the extent that it could kill businesses. And we must realize in their view the workers are expendable as they have a large population. This is very similar to South Africa’s unemployment situation as there is a large group of people unemployed thus current workers are to an extent expendable as they can easily be replaced especially for unskilled work. Therefore workers cannot be too demanding either.

In conclusion there must be balance, fairness and compromise from both sides in order to find the optimum point that will benefit all in the short term and long term. As if it to one sided it can lead to disastrous effect to the Economy, which in turn will indirectly or directly effect you and me.

Written by Mohammed Joosub [Al-MustaqeemSA Publications]