egyoffline weekly news

First protester killed in Bahrain Protests

2011-02-17T02:29:00.000+02:00

When governments murder their own people, for walking in the street and speaking their mind, they've already lost all moral authority. My heart goes out to the family and friends of this brave young man. I hope the Bahrainis achieve justice and liberty. I hope all western people take the time to find out how and why our governments have been backing these dictatorial regimes for decades. Then ask yourself why there is so much resentment against us. It's not our "freedoms" they hate.

Watch online Bahrain Revolution Police open fire on the protesters

2011-02-17T02:26:00.000+02:00

Watch online Bahrain Revolution Police open fire on the protesters

Witnesses say police in Bahrain have violently clashed with pro-democracy protesters during the "Day of Rage" rallies across the country.

On Monday, police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at hundreds of demonstrators in Karkazan, a Shia village south of the capital, Manama, AFP reported.

Security forces stepped up their presence with helicopters circling over Manama.

At least 14 people were wounded in overnight and Monday clashes.

Activists, inspired by revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia, have dubbed Monday "the Day of Rage" to express disappointment at the political reforms of the past decade, which have failed to bring prosperity and real change.

The majority Shia population in

Bahrain

has been complaining about inequality and oppression. The government has been clamping down on the opposition since the country's controversial general elections in August last year.

Since late Sunday,

Bahrain

's security forces have been patrolling shopping centers and other locations to monitor people's movements amid calls by opposition groups for pro-democracy protests.

watch online Wyclef Jean - "Freedom" (Song For Egypt)

2011-02-13T01:52:00.000+02:00

watch online Wyclef Jean - "Freedom" (Song For Egypt)

Inspired by the situation overseas Wyclef Jean has written "Freedom" for the people of

Egypt

. Equal Rights and Justice

Thank you Wyclef Jean to support our dream

Army officer joins Egypt protests

2011-02-11T12:58:00.000+02:00

Army officer joins Egypt protests

Watch online: a synopsis of Egypt revolution 25 Jan

2011-02-10T11:35:00.000+02:00

This video is a synopsis of

Egypt

revolution 25 Jan and we try to answer many questions in it: why and how Egyptian revolt

Watch online:Biography Barack Obama

2011-02-10T11:28:00.000+02:00

This insightful profile reveals the journey that brought him to the doorstep of history. Probing interviews and unforgettable footage illuminate the great stories behind great lives. One of the most successful series in Cable TV history and get the full story behind the 44th President-elect of the

United States

Watch online: Egyptian Minister of Interior asked the prisoners terrorize the people of Egypt

2011-02-08T13:41:00.000+02:00

Watch online: Egyptian Minister of Interior asked the prisoners terrorize the people of Egypt

Egyptian Minister of Interior asked the prisoners terrorize the people of

Egypt

It is worth mentioning that the Egyptian Interior Minister wealth of up to 8 billion pounds in bonuses as a result obtained by the protection of the Mubarak regime

Watch online:The Untold problems with Marilyn Monroe during the filming

2011-02-08T12:56:00.000+02:00

This is a short video based on the history of the John Huston film Freud the Secret Passion (1961) about the life of Sigmund Freud. It is a non-linear impression of the history and not a documentary or exact reenactment.

The film presents several fragments in which Huston argues with the main actor Montgomery Clift during the filming of Freud; Clift discusses his insomnia problems with Marilyn Monroe during the filming of the Misfits; Huston is interrogated by the FBI during the investigation of Hollywood communists; and Huston discusses the censorship of the film over Freud with a Catholic priest and with a producer.

watch online:Egypt Alexandrian citizen stopping police car and asking for police id before allow it to go

2011-02-07T11:47:00.002+02:00

Egypt

Alexandrian citizen stopping police car and asking for police id before allow it to go

Watch online :Egyptian protesters hurl rocks at lines of police

2011-02-06T13:04:00.000+02:00

the rage of the protesters as they hurl rocks at lines of police

Watch online:the mysterious "ghost horseman" that was captured in mainstream news footage of the Egyptian protests

2011-02-06T13:02:00.000+02:00

the mysterious "ghost horseman" that was captured in mainstream news footage of the Egyptian protests? What in the world is this thing?

Watch online :Egyptian protests of the last couple of days

2011-02-06T12:58:00.000+02:00

a compilation of very disturbing raw footage from the protests of the last couple of days

Watch online : dead bodies of Egyptian protests

2011-02-06T12:57:00.000+02:00

dead bodies of Egyptian protests

Watch online: pro-Mubarak thugs riding horses and camels attacked anti-government protesters

2011-02-06T12:55:00.000+02:00

the incredible chaos that erupted when a group of pro-Mubarak thugs riding horses and camels attacked a large gathering of anti-government protesters

Watch online Egyptian protester being shot dead right in the middle of the street

2011-02-06T12:54:00.000+02:00

Egyptian protester being shot dead right in the middle of the street

watch online A vehicle plows through dozens of Egyptian protesters

2011-02-06T12:52:00.000+02:00

A vehicle plows through dozens of protesters at very high speed and the chaos that erupts afterwards is absolutely incredible

watch online:Egyptian Police Killing Protest in egypt by shot gun

2011-02-06T00:53:00.000+02:00

watch online:Egyptian Police Killing Protest in egypt by shot gun

Watch online:Egyptian police car ran over people in Cairo 28th-Jan-2011

2011-02-04T10:34:00.002+02:00

More than 20 to 30 people between injured & killed during this terrible act.....The person (the beast) responsible for that should be punished ....for those who were killed brutally...May they rest in peace

Watch online: Egypt government gave me 50 pounds to attack Egyptians protests in Tahrir Square

2011-02-04T10:33:00.000+02:00

watch online:deadly clashes between anti-government protesters and supporters of President Hosni Mubarak

2011-02-03T15:09:00.000+02:00

watch online:supporters of the president mubarak open fire on anti-government protesters

2011-02-03T15:07:00.002+02:00

watch online:The Battle for tahrir Square in egypt 2 jaunuary 2011

2011-02-03T15:06:00.002+02:00

A Day of Anger in Egypt :The Battle for Ramses Square

2011-02-03T15:05:00.002+02:00

watch online Burning a montazah police station on alexandria

2011-02-03T15:04:00.000+02:00

Watch online Egyptian protests fire attack in government building in Suez Egypt 26 January

2011-01-27T03:09:00.000+02:00

Watch online Egyptian protests fire attack in government building in Suez Egypt 26 January

Watch online A trop of police escaped from Egyptian protests Egypt 26 January

2011-01-27T03:07:00.000+02:00

Watch online A trop of police escaped from Egyptian protests Egypt 26 January

Watch online Egyptian protests in subway train in Egypt 26 January

2011-01-27T03:05:00.000+02:00

Watch online Egyptian protests in subway train in Egypt 26 January

Watch online Egyptian protesters attacks police cars and threw Molotov cocktails in government building

2011-01-26T23:56:00.001+02:00

Egyptian protesters threw Molotov cocktails at a government building in the port city of Suez on Wednesday, setting parts of the building on fire, witnesses said, on the second day of nationwide anti-government protests.

Otherwise a policeman and a protester were killed in central Cairo on Wednesday, medics said, bringing to six the death toll in Egypt's largest anti-government demonstrations in three decades.

Protesters lobbed firebombs at the headquarters of the ruling National Democratic Party in Suez, amid heavy clashes between protesters and police, who tried to disperse the crowd with tear gas and rubber bullets

70 people -- 55 protesters and 15 police officers -- were injured in the clashes

Watch online Anti-government protests in Egypt

2011-01-26T13:22:00.000+02:00

Anti-government protests in Egypt

Watch online First man killed in anti-government protests in Egypt

2011-01-26T13:20:00.003+02:00

Egyptian old woman challenge police tank in Egypt 25 January

2011-01-26T13:19:00.003+02:00

Watch online Egyptian protests challenge police tank in Egypt 25 January

2011-01-26T13:19:00.000+02:00

Egyptian protests challenge police tank in Egypt 25 January

Watch online Egyptian protests in fight with police in Egypt 25 January

2011-01-26T13:17:00.002+02:00

Egyptian protests in fight with police in Egypt 25 January

Watch online How police treats with Egyptian protests in Egypt 25 January

2011-01-26T13:16:00.000+02:00

How police treats with Egyptian protests in Egypt 25 January

Watch online Egyptian protests crashes any Mubarak thumbnails in Egypt 25 January

2011-01-26T13:03:00.000+02:00

Egyptian protests crashes any Mubarak thumbnails in

Egypt

25 January

Watch online The situation in Egypt 25 January

2011-01-26T13:00:00.000+02:00

The situation in

Egypt

25 January

Watch online anti-government protests in Egypt

2011-01-26T01:22:00.000+02:00

During a day of anti-government protests in

Egypt

at least three people have been killed where the biggest rallies were held, state TV said a policeman had died in clashes. The two protesters died in Suez

It was very difficult for any one to record this minute but we did and now we publishing one of many that we will publish after short time

Watch online : Air crash of United Airlines Flight 232

2011-01-24T10:51:00.000+02:00

United Airlines Flight 232 was a scheduled flight operated by United Airlines between Denver and Philadelphia via Chicago. On July 19, 1989, the Douglas DC-10 (Registration N1819U) being operated for this flight suffered an uncontained failure of its number 2 engine (mounted in the tail), which destroyed all three of the aircraft's hydraulic systems. With no controls working except the power levers for the two remaining engines, it broke up during an emergency landing on the runway at Sioux City, Iowa killing 110 of its 285 passengers and one of the 11 crew members. Owing to the skill of the crew and a DC-10 instructor pilot, 175 passengers and 10 crew members survived the crash, which is considered a textbook example of successful Crew Resource Management, due to the effective use of all the resources available aboard the plane for help during the emergency

Watch online : The Last Days of World War II - Last Secrets of the Axis

2011-01-24T10:49:00.000+02:00

One of the most compelling stories of World War II concerns the origins of the unlikely alliance between the Axis powers. While many people imagine that the union was forged along the lines of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend," the real story is far more complicated. LAST SECRETS OF THE AXIS picks up where the popular HISTORY CHANNEL special THE SAMURAI AND THE SWASTIKA left off, examining the remarkable historical confluence that led to the rise of German-Japanese cooperation. At the heart of story is Karl Haushofer, a geography professor (and the man who coined the term "geopolitics"). The program explores the professor's convoluted role, following him from the origins of the Reich to the Nuremberg Trials. LAST SECRETS also reveals details of many overlooked engagements, including a coup in Iraq, backed by German and Italian forces, that had the long-term goal of establishing a Persian Gulf base for Japanese submarines! From unsung battles to back-room dealings, this is a compelling examination of the LAST SECRETS OF THE AXIS

Watch online : The Obama Deception secrets

2011-01-24T10:48:00.000+02:00

The Obama Deception is a hard-hitting film that completely destroys the myth that Barack Obama is working for the best interests of the American people. The Obama phenomenon is a hoax carefully crafted by the captains of the New World Order. He is being pushed as savior in an attempt to con the American people into accepting global slavery. We have reached a critical juncture in the New World Order's plans. and only by exposing the con can we help to save freedom in

America

. The Obama Deception is not about Left or Right: it's about a One World Government. The international banks plan to loot the people of the United States and turn them into slaves on a Global Plantation. Covered in this film: who Obama works for, what lies he has told, and his real agenda, and how his initial appointments and actions prove he serves the corporate oligarchs, not the American people. If you want to know the facts and cut through all the hype, this is the film for you. other location...all » (better quality video linked below) The Obama Deception is a hard-hitting film that completely destroys the myth that Barack Obama is working for the best interests of the American people. The Obama phenomenon is a hoax carefully crafted by the captains of the New World Order. He is being pushed as savior in an attempt to con the American people into accepting global slavery. We have reached a critical juncture in the New World Order's plans. and only by exposing the con can we help to save freedom in

America

Watch online : THE Venezuela REVOLUTION did NOT BE TELEVISED

2011-01-24T10:46:00.000+02:00

THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED DIRECTED AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY KIM BARTLEY AND DONNACHA O'BRIAIN IRELAND, 2003 74 MINUTES IN SPANISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES HUGO CHAVEZ ELECTED PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA IN 1998, IS A COLORFUL, UNPREDICTABLE FOLK HERO

beloved by his nation's working class and a tough-as-nails, quixotic opponent to the power structure that would see him deposed. Two independent filmmakers were inside the presidential palace on April 11, 2002, when he was forcibly removed from office. They were also present 48 hours later when, remarkably, he returned to power amid cheering aides. Their film records what was probably history's shortest-lived coup d'état. It's a unique document about political muscle and an extraordinary portrait of the man The Wall Street Journal credits with making Venezuela "Washington‚s biggest Latin American headache after the old standby, Cuba."

Watch online : GULF WAR SYNDROME - Killing Our Own soldiers

2011-01-24T10:44:00.000+02:00

After the Vietnam War, hundreds of thousands of

U.S.

veterans suffered toxic reactions, neurological damage, and rare cancers due to exposure to 2,4,5,-D and 2,4,5-T dioxin that was used in the form of the defoliant Agent Orange. Unfortunately, the U.S. military denied the problem and failed to heed any of the lessons of this chemical butchery. Instead, it expanded its harmful legacy to the current generation of soldiers and civilians exposed to new, more deadly chemical toxins in the Persian Gulf. Join accomplished filmmaker Gary Null, PhD, as he explores the real truth about Gulf War Syndrome and the secrets about chemical and germ warfare that the U.S. government is hiding from its veterans and the public. Dr. Null uncovers the hidden truths about Gulf War Syndrome, including the deadly and toxic effects of armor-piercing radioactive depleted uranium, the use of experimental and risky vaccines on over 1,100,000

U.S.

troops, and the indescribable chemical contamination and environmental devastation that the military caused during the Persian Gulf Wars.

In this film, Dr. Null relies on compelling testimony from eyewitnesses who served in the military, leading doctors and scientists who specialize in chemical exposure, and those veterans still suffering from the effects of their tours of duty. Dr. Null goes further than ever before to explain the illnesses of Gulf veterans, including their rare cancers, neurological diseases, cardiac ailments, genetic mutations, and autoimmune conditions, ranging from chronic fatigue syndrome to lupus and scleroderma. “Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome” is the glib and demeaning explanation that the U.S. Government likes to give to injured veterans and their families. By revealing the truth about how and why American soldiers became ill while fighting overseas, this film sets the record straight and holds the government accountable for trivializing and covering up some of the major causes and consequences of Gulf War Syndrome. This film is also a scathing indictment of the practices and policies of modern warfare, and how they are causing massive illnesses that have never been seen before and which do not recognize political or geographic boundaries.

Watch online : 9-11 Justice Dick Cheney conspiracy

2011-01-24T10:42:00.000+02:00

a brief but carefully presented and supported criminal indictment of George Bush, Dick Cheney, Richard Myers, and Condoleeza Rice for murder in the events of 9-11, presenting all the best evidence in a concise but powerful manner. It includes Larry Silverstein's admission that the explosives were used; and Norman Mineta's identification of Dick Cheney as the person who gave the order not to scramble jets, or fire any weapons in defense of the Pentagon.

Watch online : The Greatest Lie Evers Sold about 911

2011-01-24T10:39:00.001+02:00

Only by"Exposing the Creators" of the first World Trade Center bombing in (1993), could we have prevented the creation of the second bombing of the World Trade Center on 9-11! We failed to make it ... "PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE" that the 1993 bombing was - Encouraged by "AGENT PROVOCATUERS" of the FB-LIE The fact is

U.S.

taxpayers "bought the bomb." Worse still, since September 11, 2001 most of America's sheeple "BOUGHT THE LIE" that 19 angered Arabs & Osama bin Laden carried out the greatest act of terror in

U.S.

history The stark, raw reality is that the 9-11 "story" is THE GREATEST LIE EVER SOLD. American's are being prepped for the next "staged event" Agents of the CIA, FBI, NSA, and the propaganda press will then white-wash "USAMA BIN BUSH!" Rumsfeld, Cheney, Ashcroft, Kissinger & crew will blame the innocent to protect the guilty What's it all about? Bush & zee Boys from der "Brotherhood of Death," "Skull & Bones" are preparing us for a POLICE STATE. Bush will try to surrender the Constitution & Bill of Rights. His goal? - establish a "New World Order" WARNING: This video contains no lies, or "White House" spin

Watch online : Afghanistan, Drugs, Guns and Money

2011-01-23T11:35:00.000+02:00

Afghanistan

way in the future, how can the peopole of afghanistan defeet the demon of drug agriculture?

Watch online : America In Vietnam 10thousand day war

2011-01-23T11:33:00.000+02:00

Watch online : The Oil Factor on the War on Terror

2011-01-23T11:31:00.000+02:00

Narrated by Ed Asner. Keywords: Persian Gulf War, United Nations, U.N., in violation of international law, bombings, illegal, marc garlasco, weaponry, iraqi leadership, mohamed assan, president george w. bush, administration, andrew shlapak, karen kwiatkowski, saddam hussein, zbigniew brzezinski, weapons of mass destruction, wmd, pnac, project for the new american century, vice president dick cheney, donald rumsfeld, paul wolfowitz, jeb bush, new world order, nwo, neocons, neo-cons, gary schmitt, randa habib, ahmed chalabi, george tenet, john negroponte, cia, covert operations, energy supplies, mike, michael c. ruppert, oil consumption, supply, demand, economy, economics, pierre-marie gallois, supplies, nepdg, noam chomsky, david mulholland, pipelines, price of oil, dathar al kahar, refinery, refineries, fields, drilling, radioactive, radioactivity, du, depleted uranium, uranium 238, 234, 235, toxicity, cancers, birth defects, contamination, paul bremer, dyncorp, halliburton, national security council, nsc, bechtel, guantanamo bay, defense contractors, kellogg, brown & root, detention concentration camps, elizabeth hodgkin, abu ghraib, governments covered up, osama bin laden, taliban, al qaeda, natural gas, ahmed rashid, mullah omar, enemy combatants, geneva convention, hamed karzai, opium poppies, heroin, anti coalition forces, resources, terrorism

Watch online : Soviet war in Afghanistan - True story

2011-01-23T11:29:00.000+02:00

Documentary "Pain and Hope of Afghanistan" Production of USSR Department of Defense, 1979 - 1989

Watch online: Obama's War

2011-01-23T11:27:00.000+02:00

Can U.S. forces succeed in a land long known as the "graveyard of empires?"

Watch online: When Julian Assange talked

2011-01-23T11:25:00.000+02:00

The WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange talks about secrets, leaks and explained how and why all of that happened

watch online: Rape in the City

2011-01-22T12:48:00.000+02:00

In the wake of two recent, high-profile cases in which young women were brutally attacked and raped by groups of young men, journalist Sorious Samura investigates gang rape in the UK.

Using data collected from various sources, including the crown courts, barristers and rape referral centres, Dispatches attempts to discover the extent and cause of the problem. Four young victims describe their traumatic experiences, while Samura also talks to groups of teenagers about their attitudes to sex and relationships. He is appalled to hear what the boys consider to be acceptable sexual activity and the fears expressed by the girls.

While knife crimes and street weapons dominate the agenda on violent crime, Dispatches hears from youth workers, police officers and academics who believe this devastating type of attack requires more attention.

Link:

Watch online: Innocents Betrayed

2011-01-22T12:46:00.000+02:00

This documentary effectively shatters gun control myths and fallacies. Owning a firearm is not a privilege – it’s a basic right. In fact, it’s the basic right to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Throughout History, there has been a disturbing pattern: sooner or later (often sooner than later), disarmed populations become the hapless victims of tyrannical governments and criminals.

The right to own a weapon is one that is usually conquered in the aftermath of centuries of suffering and genocide.

Today, we tend to forget that. Yet, the last 100 odd years were undoubtedly the most brutal of all, in what concerns organized violence against deliberately disarmed populations.

This is what Innocents Betrayed documents. How innocents are constantly betrayed — and brutalized – by gun control.

Watch online: Blood and Oil - The Middle East in World War I

2011-01-22T12:44:00.000+02:00

Examines the devastating conflict and Western political intrigue that laid the foundation for wars, coups, revolts and military interventions in the Middle East. After the end of World War I, most of the Ottoman Empire was carved up into "spheres of influence," controlled mostly by the British and French. The remaining territories became the modern state of Turkey in 1923 - after a five-year struggle by Turkish nationalists against Western domination. Written and produced by Marty Callaghan ("Archives of War," "Remember Pearl Harbor: America Taken by Surprise"), this feature-length documentary film follows conflict from the Ottoman Empire's entry into the Great War in October 1914 to the Allied victory and declaration of the new Turkish Republic in 1923, and the hostilities that have plagued the region since.

Watch online: Iraq's Secret War Files full parts

2011-01-22T12:41:00.000+02:00

In the biggest official files leak in history nearly 400,000 Iraq war logs reveal the massive scale of civilian deaths and new torture allegations following an investigation by Channel 4′s Dispatches.

Channel 4 News has accessed the data in the classified documents via The Bureau of Investigative Journalism and WikiLeaks.

The only TV doc to have advance access to the biggest Wikileaks release ever. This is what really happened during the Iraq war, not what the US PR machine of the time wanted us to believe. The reality behind the civilian death count; al-Qaeda’s fictitious presence; torture, torture and more torture. A wall of truth revealing unprecedented levels of unwarranted aggression.

Dispatches, Channel 4′s flagship current affairs strand, exposes the full and unreported horror of the Iraqi conflict and its aftermath, revealing the true scale of civilian casualties and allegations that even after the scandal of Abu Ghraib, American soldiers continued to abuse prisoners.

And that US forces did not systematically intervene in the torture and murder of detainees by the Iraqi security services. The programme also features previously unreported material of insurgents being killed while trying to surrender.

Watch online: The Assassination of Martin Luther King

2011-01-22T12:38:00.000+02:00

Was it really a lone racist named James Earl Ray that killed Martin Luther King or was his assassination part of a much bigger plan? And why was the FBI treating Martin Luther King like a threat?

Watch online: The FBI's War on Black America

2011-01-22T12:36:00.002+02:00

Through a secret program called the Counter Intelligence Program (COINTELPRO), there was a concerted effort to subvert the will of the people to avoid the rise “of a black Messiah” that would mobilize the African-American community into a meaningful political force. This documentary establishes historical perspective on the measures initiated by J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI which aimed to discredit black political figures and forces of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s.

Watch online: The 638 ways to kill Castro full Parts

2011-01-22T12:35:00.000+02:00

638 Ways to Kill Castro is a documentary film which tells the story of some of the numerous attempts to kill Cuba's leader Fidel Castro. The film reveals multiple methods of assassination, from exploding cigars to femme fatales; a radio station rigged with noxious gas to a poison syringe posing as an innocuous ballpoint pen. Fabian Escalante, the former head of Cuban Intelligence, the man who has had the job of protecting Castro for many of the 48 years hes been in power, alleges that there were over 600 plots and conspiracies known to Cuban agents.

Watch online: Who Really Killed Robert Kennedy?

2011-01-22T12:32:00.000+02:00

According to the official coroner's report, the gun firing the fatal shots had to be less than 1-inch from the back of Kennedy's head. Eyewitness accounts put Sirhan Sirhan no closer than 1-3 feet in front of the man. Why were bullet-ridden ceiling tiles removed? Did investigators ignore conflicting testimony and destroy evidence? Why? This tape answers these questions and more

Watch online: JFK II – the Bush Connection

2011-01-22T12:28:00.000+02:00

this movie proves that JFK’s assassination was perpetrated by forces within our own government.The author of this documentary takes it even a step further and shows how George Bush Senior is connected to the murder of JFK.

A thoroughly documented criminal indictment of George Herbert Walker Bush, establishing beyond a reasonable doubt, his guilt as a supervisor in the conspiracy to murder John Kennedy.Relies exclusively on government documents and the publicly acknowledged statements and histories of the guilty parties.

The most shocking thing about the assassination is not the brutality of it.It was brutal, certainly. But the most amazing thing is the way the established media today managed to pretend that there is any question about whether his murder was a conspiracy. JFK II reveals the truth about the JFK assassination on November 22, 1963. Still today, over forty years later, the official government story featuring the “magic bullet theory” is considered part of history.

Watch online: The Perfect Vagina

2011-01-22T12:25:00.000+02:00

What began as a wander through the wacky world of genital plastic surgery became a passionate documentary about modern femininity, The Perfect Vagina. After My Penis and Everyone Else's, it’s now time to look at women's insecurities.Women are undergoing surgery to create perfect genitalia amid a “shocking” lack of information on the potential risks of the procedure, a report says. Research published in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology also questions the very notion of aesthetically pleasing genitals.

Operations to improve the appearance of the sex organs for both psychological and physical reasons are on the rise. But surgeons said the report overplayed the risks of an established procedure. Researchers from University College London reviewed all the existing studies on cosmetic labial surgery – which generally involves reducing the amount of tissue that protrudes from the lips which cover the vagina. They found there had been little work to document any longer-term side effects.

Labioplasty, as it is known, costs about £3,000 privately and is offered for a variety of reasons: some women complain that wearing tight clothes or riding a bike is uncomfortable, while others say they are embarrassed in front of a sexual partner.

FDR Pearl Harbor Conspiracy

2011-01-21T15:24:00.002+02:00

film investigates theorys on pearl harbor and possible conspiracy(s) there has been much debate as to how and why the United States had been caught unaware, and how much and when American officials knew of Japanese plans and related topics. Some argue that various parties knew of the attack in advance and may even have let it happen or encouraged it in order to force America into war.

History of Freemasonry

2011-01-21T15:23:00.000+02:00

Tour of masonry illuminati, conspiracy theory, new world order, religion

The Conspiracy Files Lockerbie

2011-01-21T15:21:00.000+02:00

The Conspiracy Files - Lockerbie_ In 1988, Britain's worst terrorist attack left 270 people dead. We follow the trail of evidence, investigating the claims surrounding the Lockerbie bombing. Some upsetting scenes

The Truth Behind The Moon Landings

2011-01-21T15:19:00.000+02:00

Documentary debunking the conspiracy theories surrounding the first moon landing

watch online 3rd reich last Secrets

2011-01-21T15:17:00.000+02:00

Evidence of the use of extra terrestrial technology. One of the lasr great mysteries of the 20th century is the occult past of the 3rd reich, and membership of secret societies by some of its leading exponents. The question as to whether these people were aware of the existence of lost extraterrestrial technologies, once applied by past advanced cultures, is raised by completely new research, supported by historical documents and original film footage of the period. Were the disk-shaped flying objects (UFOs), driven by anti-gravitation forces, actually constructed?. Test pilots, engineers and investigators explain the Nazi programme for space travel and contact with aliens. Look at the evidence and decide for urself. keywords; ufo conspiracy illuminati mars coverup secret space programm antigravity free energy nazi technology atlantis

watch online Strike Against UFO

2011-01-21T15:16:00.000+02:00

This is literally smoking gun evidence of hostile military action towards advanced extraterrestrial spacecraft, photographed during NASA Space Shuttle mission STS-48

watch online most detailed video of the WTC attacks

2011-01-21T15:15:00.000+02:00

Here is a never before-released video of the WTC attacks. This has to be the clearest and most detailed video surrounding the terrorist attack on the towers. The video is graphic in depicting the collapse of the first tower.

watch online The Secret Government

2011-01-21T15:13:00.000+02:00

This is the full length 90 min. version of Bill Moyer's 1987 scathing critique of the criminal subterfuge carried out by the Executive Branch of the United States Government to carry out operations which are clearly contrary to the wishes and values of the American people. The ability to exercise this power with impunity is facilitated by the National Security Act of 1947.

The thrust of the exposé is the Iran-Contra arms and drug-running operations which flooded the streets of our nation with crack cocaine. The significance of the documentary is probably greater today in 2007 than it was when it was made. We now have a situation in which these same forces have committed the most egregious terrorist attack on US soil and have declared a fraudulent so-called "War on Terror". The ruling regime in the US who have conducted the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, are now banging the war drum against Iran. We have the PATRIOT act which has stripped us of many of our basic civil rights justified by the terror of 9/11 which is their own doing

watch online untold Secrets Of Nikola Tesla

2011-01-21T15:11:00.000+02:00

Nikola Tesla was a world-renowned Serb-American inventor, physicist, mechanical engineer and electrical engineer. Tesla is regarded as one of the most important inventors in history. Tesla was regarded as a mad scientist and became noted for making bizarre

watch online CIA Secret Wars

2011-01-21T15:09:00.000+02:00

The history of the terrorism conducted by the CIA, since the end of the World War II when countries in Asia and Latin America, were trying to make changes to improve their economical and political situation, the Unite States of North America realized that it was not good for their status as new super power; and began a new campaign, with only one rule, Anything Goes. This is the story of the terrorism of the CIA.

watch online CIA Drug Conspiracy

2011-01-21T15:07:00.000+02:00

The Secret History: CIA Drug Ops Conspiracy (unaired documentary)

watch online great Lies of CIA

2011-01-21T15:05:00.000+02:00

This feature length documentary about medical madness, cloaked in bioterrorism preparedness, will awaken the brain dead. It exposes health officials, directed by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), for conducting a “War of Terror” that is killing millions of unwitting Americans. This urgent life-saving DVD comes without copyright restrictions. Every viewer is encouraged to reproduce and distribute copies to others. Donations to Tetrahedron Films to cover costs and produce more films like this are greatly appreciated online at http://www.inlieswetrust.com or by calling toll free 1-888-508-4787. You can screen the film on behalf of local charities.

It was produced by award-winning humanitarian, Dr. Leonard G. Horowitz (http://www.DrLenHorowitz.com), a world-renowned authority in public health education, covert intelligence agency operations, and emerging diseases investigations. He is the author of three American bestsellers, including Emerging Viruses: AIDS & Ebola—Nature, Accident or Intentional? and Healing Codes for the Biological Apocalypse. (Tetrahedron Press; 1-888-508-4787) This monumental film exposes the agents and agencies behind: Hollywood films and the media creating a profitable culture of bioterror; the “War on Terrorism” used to control populations; the most lucrative war in history—the “War on Cancer;” the onslaught of dozens of new immunological diseases and deadly flus; the “War on AIDS” triggered by contaminated vaccines; the anthrax mailings resulting in restricted freedoms, and sales of toxic drugs, deadly vaccines, and more. Documents displayed in film may be viewed online at http://inlieswetrust.com For over 400 of the top Critically important videos see http://netctr.com/media -- Much more at the site. Wake up, get involved, Save the Republic - Your kids, grand kids and your life will depend on what you do from now on. Key words: propaganda, war, terrorism, vaccinations, immunizations, cancer, biological warfare, weapons of mass destruction, pharmaceuticals, AIDS, anthrax, healthcare, Hollywood, CIA, CDC, and FDA

Watch online shame secrets of CIA

2011-01-21T15:04:00.000+02:00

This documentary explains how CIA pioneered, developed, manipulated prisoner abuse, sold drugs, changed regimes and killed millions of people worldwide.

test for rebublish

2011-01-20T21:42:00.002+02:00

test for rebublish

MUBARAKS RESPOND TO BARADEI EMERGENCE

2010-03-06T12:47:00.000+02:00

MUBARAKS RESPOND TO BARADEI EMERGENCE

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak addresses a press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the chancellery in Berlin on March 4.

CAIRO: Both President Hosni Mubarak and his son Gamal have spoken recently about the emergence of former IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei as a potential political opponent.

Mubarak was in Germany for medical tests and was asked about whether he considered ElBaradei a national hero, to which he responded that Egypt “does not need a new hero.”

He added that ElBaradei was welcome to join a party to become a presidential candidate or run as an independent, but must adhere to the constitution.

“If he wants to join a party, he could choose whichever one he wants,” Mubarak told reporters during a visit to Germany, reported AP. “If he wants to be a candidate for that party [at the presidential elections], he could do that. If he wants to stand as an independent candidate, he could do that,” he said.

“The only thing is that he must respect the constitution,” he said,

It is the constitution that ElBaradei is trying to change, claiming that it unfairly impedes most candidates from being eligible for a presidential election. Currently the constitution stipulates that any viable candidate must be either in a party that has existed for five years or secure a certain amount of signatures from both houses and the municipalities to run as an independent.

On Thursday protestors stood outside the Judicial Administrative Court in Alexandria as the court inside heard the appeal of the Ayez Haqy (I Want My Rights) movement against the refusal of government bureaus to allow them to give power of attorney to ElBaradei to call for constitutional change.

Head of the policies committee of the ruling National Democratic Party Gamal Mubarak said during a meeting with students at Luxor University that political life should be based on parties more than any independent candidate.

Gamal said, “Talk of change by reforming education, health and the economy are just general statement, more important is to get into the details of how to implement it.”

Asked about lack of judicial oversight on elections, no longer mandatory due to the amendment of Article 88 of the constitution, Gamal said, “Don’t forget that every candidate has the right to have representatives inside the poll stations, in addition to the monitoring of Egyptian civil society.”

ElBaradei has caused a stir in Egyptian politics by calling for constitutional change and alluding that he might consider a presidential bid if conditions were right. He has also formed the National Association for Change with a coalition of opposition movements including the Muslim Brotherhood.

Torture in Somalia

2010-03-06T12:46:00.000+02:00

Torture in

Somalia

After the Supreme Court heard an hour of technical arguments Wednesday about whether foreign officials may be sued in the United States over torture claims, one of the plaintiffs in the case stood on the steps outside and recalled what had happened to him in

Somalia

in the 1980s.

“They destroyed my entire tribe,” Bashe Abdi Yousuf said of the regime of Maj. Gen. Mohamed Siad Barre. “I was tortured — waterboarded and put in electric shock.”

Mr. Yousuf, now an American citizen living in Georgia, explained why he and others sued Mohamed Ali Samantar, who served as minister of defense and prime minister in the Siad Barre regime and now lives in Virginia.

“He is the highest ranking one alive,” Mr. Yousuf said. “Secondly, he’s here.”

Inside the courtroom, the justices wrestled with two laws that seemed to point in different directions. The Torture Victim Protection Act of 1991 allows lawsuits against individuals said to have committed torture under the authority of a foreign nation. But the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976 bars suits against foreign states and their “agencies or instrumentalities.”

Most of the argument concerned whether that last phrase included current or former officials.

Patricia A. Millett, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said that allowing the immunity law to override the one allowing torture suits would render the latter “a very empty statute.”

Justice Antonin Scalia made the opposite point, saying, “I think it’s a pretty empty statute as well to interpret the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act to immunize the Department of Defense but not the secretary of defense.”

Justice Stephen G. Breyer suggested that it would be an odd legal system that would require a lawsuit against a foreign government to be dismissed but allow the same suit to proceed once the plaintiff listed the names of the officials involved.

“This act is only good against a bad lawyer?” he asked. “Because any good lawyer would simply fill in the right names.”

Mr. Samantar has called the accusations in the lawsuit baseless. His lawyer, Shay Dvoretzky, said on Wednesday that Mr. Samantar had worked on behalf of his government “in the midst of what was effectively quelling a secessionist insurgency.”

Deputy Solicitor General Edwin S. Kneedler sided with the plaintiffs in urging the court to reject Mr. Samantar’s statutory immunity argument. But he said Mr. Samantar may still be immune from suit under common law principles, depending on the position taken on that by the State Department.

Justice Scalia said he was troubled by that approach. “I find it much more acceptable to have the State Department say that a particular foreign country should be let off the hook,” he said, “than I do to leave it up to the State Department whether an individual human being shall be punished or not.”

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg asked Mr. Kneedler what the State Department’s position was on whether Mr. Samantar deserved the common-law immunity he had been describing.

Mr. Kneedler would not answer. “We are not addressing that here,” he said.

The argument also touched on broader themes.

“One nation’s courts cannot sit in judgment of another nation’s acts,” Mr. Dvoretzky said. “U.S. courts are not the ultimate arbiters of foreign law.”

Justice Scalia made a similar point in an exchange with Mr. Kneedler.

“A few years ago, a Spanish magistrate allowed a lawsuit to proceed, as I recall, against our secretary of defense,” he said. Justice Scalia appeared to be referring to an inquiry opened last year by a Spanish judge into accusations that six former Bush administration officials had violated international law by giving legal cover to torture at the United States prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.

“It’s up to the Spanish government to assert that that suit should not proceed, and if it doesn’t, it’s perfectly O.K.?” Justice Scalia asked.

Mr. Kneedler responded that whether such a suit was proper “would depend on the circumstances.”

Before the argument in the case, Samantar v. Yousuf, No. 08-1555, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. welcomed Lord Phillips, the president of the new Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. Perhaps in recognition of the visit, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy asked a question concerning a 2006 decision of the House of Lords. That decision barred a suit against Saudi Arabia and Saudi officials by people who said they had been tortured there.

SHEHATA AFTER ENGLAND DEFEAT

2010-03-06T12:44:00.000+02:00

SHEHATA AFTER ENGLAND DEFEAT

CAIRO: Egypt manager Hassan Shehata believes the 3-1 defeat to

England

can mark the beginning of a new stage for the team, while sounding his frustration at the second-half slip.

Egypt

failed to preserve their 1-0 lead at Wembley following a terrific first-half display as they were downed by England's substitutes after the break.

But Shehata hopes his side can learn from their defeat to the European giants.

"I think a match against England at Wembley can be the start of a new phase for us," the Egypt boss told FilGoal.com.

"It is a very useful experience and hopefully we can make it happen again in the future."

Concentration

Shehata blamed the second-half lapse to the lack of concentration from some players, but refused to give any names.

"The performance was awful starting from the 50th minute. Some players lost concentration and started to play individually," he added.

It is the third time that Egypt had slumped to a friendly defeat after clinching the African Cup of Nations under Shehata's management.

The seven-time African champions were downed 2-0 in Spain after their CAN 2006 triumph on home soil, before losing by the same score-line to Argentina in Cairo two years later.

Benjamin Netanyahu. Wanted man in Dubai

2010-03-04T21:50:00.001+02:00

Dubai's police chief plans to seek the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the head of Israel's spy agency over the killing of a Hamas leader in the emirate, Al Jazeera television reported.

Dahi Khalfan Tamim "said he would ask the Dubai prosecutor to issue arrest warrants for ... Netanyahu and the head of Mossad", the television said. It did not give details.

Tamim has said he is "almost certain" Israeli agents were involved in the killing of Hamas commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh at a Dubai hotel in January, calling for Mossad's boss, Meir Dagan, to be arrested if it is proved responsible.

Tamim said on Monday Mossad had "insulted" Dubai and Western countries whose fraudulent passports were used by suspects in the assassination.

Dubai has asked the US Federal Bureau of Investigation to look into prepaid cards issued by the Meta Financial Group's MetaBank which the suspects used, a UAE newspaper said.

Citing an FBI source, The National newspaper said the investigation would look into any Israeli involvement in the killing. "Thirteen of the 27 suspects used prepaid MasterCards issued by MetaBank, a regional American bank, to purchase plane tickets and book hotel rooms," the newspaper said, quoting Dubai police.

MetaBank said it followed proper procedures when it issued the cards.

Authorities told the bank that the suspects appeared to have used stolen passports to get employment with US companies, MetaBank said in a statement on Tuesday. The companies paid the employees with prepaid cards issued by MetaBank and other banks.

MetaBank said it had launched its own review of the matter, and had so far found that it followed all bank and regulatory requirements.

The suspects authorities had identified were not on any list that would indicate their identities were fraudulent, it said.

The UAE, a US-allied Arab state that backs the Palestinian drive for an independent state and an end to Israeli occupation, has no diplomatic relations with Israel.

Members of the hit squad used fraudulent passports from Britain, Ireland, Germany, France and Australia. Residents of Israel with the same names as the suspects, holding dual nationalities, have said their identities appear to have been stolen.

The passport abuse has drawn criticism from the European Union, and some of the governments involved have summoned the Israeli ambassadors to their countries to protest

THE GLOBAL WATER CRISIS

2010-03-04T21:48:00.000+02:00

Triggered by the rise in commodity prices, water scarcity and the high demand for food security, experts expressed the necessity for a series of policy reforms and investment flows to improve the efficiency of water management and food production in the Middle East.

Prince Turki Bin Talal Al Saud, chairman of the board of trustees of the Saudi Arabian Mentor Arabia Foundation, expressed the urgency to address the pressing issues of water supply, global warming and pollution, which will eventually lead to a global water crisis.

"Only through a strict political stance that calls for the efficient allocation of water resources and the collaboration between nations will this eventual water crisis be averted," Prince Turki said Monday during a session entitled “Scenarios Series: How much water do you eat?” at the World Economic Forum on the Middle East.

“The world will face a big challenge,” Mahmoud Abu Zeid, Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation said. By the year 2025, food demand will increase by 70-90 percent and the amount of water consumption will double due to the expected population increase.

“We are not using water efficiently, we have to improve water use and productivity [to face this crisis],” Abu Zeid said. He called on all groups of society to work together, as well as the involvement of all stakeholders and the private sector through public-private partnerships (PPPs) to make better use of water.

Investment Minister Mahmoud Mohieldin backed his colleague’s concerns, saying “we are facing a full-blown crisis and we have to have a better understanding of it.”

Mohieldin believes that the solution is to identify financial investments that are willing to finance crops and agriculture.

Since agriculture uses up to 80 percent of water, people must know the value of water through vigorous awareness campaigns.

When this notion is instigated in farmers, “agriculture will be shifted to an economic aspect rather than a social one,” said Raed Abu Al Saud, Jordan’s minister of water and irrigation.

Saudi Arabia

boasts that it has passed several agricultural reforms to tackle their water shortage problem. “We target to increase crops per less drops, through green houses and drip irrigation,” said Saudi Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation Fahd Bin Abdulrahman Bin Sulaiman Balghunaim.

“The increase in food prices is a blessing in disguise as it shifts attention to the importance of agriculture,” Balghunaim said. Therefore, nations should support UN organizations to reach farmers around the world to increase productivity using minimal water supplies.

While Egypt’s water crisis may be delayed because of its access to the Nile River, Jordan’s present situation is “not promising,” Al Saud said. He expects that soon water will become a political issue, especially for countries sharing the same water sources.

“This is not a simple issue, it is a complex emergency,” said Neville Isdell, chairman and CEO of the Coca-Cola Company.

He also agreed said that the private sector should realize its responsibility and adopt a framework for preserving water. Coca-Cola has vowed to reduce water consumption, return all useable water to nature and reduce the levels of pollution in their operations, he added.

Mohieldin assured that Egypt has already established several PPPs, as well as revived agri-finance with local banks in the agriculture and water management domains. However, he warned that all reforms and regional efforts will not yield results if “we keep applying the policies we have today,” he said.

The establishment of a water pricing system is necessary to ensure that people understand the importance of water. “[We need to] stop bad subsidies to enable us to do our job properly,” Mohieldin said.

Rotana deal

2010-03-04T21:45:00.002+02:00

News Corp will purchase 9.9% of Rotana shares, Rotana board chairman Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal announced on Tuesday (February 23rd).

Under the agreement, News Corp will buy $70 million worth of newly issued shares of Rotana, while retaining the right to double its shares to 18.18% during the 18 months after the transaction is completed.

The deal enhances the presence of News Corp in the Arab region and expands Rotana's access to other parts of the world.

The announcement came during a press conference at the offices of Kingdom Holding Company in Riyadh, attended by Prince Alwaleed and News Corp Chairman and CEO of Europe and Asia James Murdoch.

The Kingdom Holding Company has owned almost 7% of News Corp's Series B Ordinary shares since 2005.

"We are pleased with this alliance with News Corp, as it is one of the largest companies in global media," said Prince Alwaleed. "It is a company with a track record at the global level. And this investment will strengthen this alliance and will support Rotana's strong place in the region and widen its access to Arabs in all parts of the world."

"Our investment in Rotana will expand our presence in the region, which has a young and growing population and where GDP growth is set to outstrip that of more developed economies in the years ahead," Murdoch said.

"Rotana is a leading player in the Middle East and we look forward to working together," he added.

The alliance followed a series of meetings between the parties, including a visit by Murdoch to Riyadh in 2008.

The Riyadh visit culminated in an agreement between Rotana Media Group and Fox International Channels to offer Fox Movie Channel to Arab viewers through the Rotana Group channels package.

After signing an agreement with Rotana and the Walt Disney Company for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Fox International Channels announced the addition of the Fox Series Channel to viewers in the Middle East and North Africa in 2009.

Rotana has the largest collection of Arab films and is the leading Arabic music production company with the largest collection of Arabic songs. It also has a television network and a radio network currently under expansion.

Suzan Tamim murder

2010-03-04T21:42:00.001+02:00

An Egyptian court Thursday revoked the death sentence previously handed down to an Egyptian business tycoon and an ex-policeman convicted of killing Lebanese singer Suzan Tamim in Dubai and ordered their retrial.

In Focus: Suzan Tamim

Relatives of Hesham Talaat Mustafa, one of

Egypt

’s leading real-estate developers, and Mohssen Al Sukkari, an ex-state security police officer, reacted with jubilation when Adel Abdel Hameed, the Chief Judge of the Cassation Court, Egypt’s highest judicial authority, announced that their appeals against the death sentence, were accepted. He ordered their retrial at an appeal court.

The Moustafa was sentenced to death last May after being convicted of paying a retired Egyptian police officer Mohsen Al Sukkary $2 million to kill 30-year-old Suzanne Tamim, while she was in Dubai in July 2008, Associated Press adds from Cairo.

Al Sukkary will be retried as well.

The case captivated Egyptians as it involved a member of an elite often viewed as above the law.

Many had wondered if the 50-year-old real estate mogul tied to President Hosni Mubarak's son, Gamal, and an influential member of the ruling party, would get away with murder in a region where the rich are often thought to be immune.

The court decision to retry the case is certain to raise charges that Moustafa's influence will keep him from the gallows.

Moustafa, a member of parliament's upper house, the Shura Council, was also a member the ruling party's policies committee, which the younger Mubarak chairs.

Tamim rose to stardom in the late 1990s on the force of her good looks and voice, but then hit troubled times, separating from her Lebanese husband-manager, who filed a series of lawsuits against her.

Tamim and Moustafa met in the summer of 2004 at a Red Sea resort, according to transcripts of Moustafa's interrogation that were widely published in Egyptian newspapers.

Al Sukkary, the former security officer, said in the transcripts in the trial that Moustafa was "always with Tamim," that he kept a hotel suite for her, and that he took her around in his private jet.

During interrogations, Moustafa said he broke up with his former lover Tamim after his mother opposed the couple's marriage plan. Moustafa comes from a religiously conservative Muslim family.

According to Dubai investigators, el-Sukkary stalked Tamim to her apartment in the swanky Dubai Marina complex and entered using an ID of the management company from which she had recently bought her place.

Blood-soaked clothes were found dumped outside the building, and police say the killer's face was captured on security camera footage.

Al Sukkary was arrested Aug. 2008 in Egypt. Dubai police traveled to Cairo to present their evidence against him but then turned their attention to Moustafa.

Egypt

declined to extradite Moustafa to the United Arab Emirates, insisting he be tried at home. That move was initially read by many Egyptians as opening the door for a slap on the wrist for Moustafa, who built a real estate empire of luxury hotels and resorts and was a leading force behind the pricey Western-style suburbs that ring Cairo.

Gold demand in the Middle East

2010-03-04T21:39:00.000+02:00

The World Gold Council issued a report Wednesday (February 17th) which indicated that the demand for gold in the Middle East fell by 32% in the fourth quarter of 2009. The world demand for gold also dropped by 11% in 2009 because industrial demand and jewellery demand declined.

Egypt and the UAE experienced the biggest slump in gold jewellery demand in the Middle East with the UAE falling by 32% and Egypt by 35%.

The report also said that Exchange-Traded Fund demand for gold rose by 85% in 2009 compared with 2008 on the strength of an exceptional first quarter but was lower for the following quarters of the year.

In Dubai on Tuesday, Philipp Lotter, senior vice-president of credit rating agency Moody's in the Middle East, advised Dubai World to sell more assets in order to make it easier to restructure its $22 billion debt.

Lotter also said that Istithmar, the investment arm of Dubai World, had sold some of its real estate assets, including properties in London and the "W" Hotel in New York by the end of 2009.

Sultan Bin Saeed al-Mansouri, UAE Minister of Economy, said on Monday, that the UAE economy is expected to grow by about 3% in 2010.

Al-Mansouri indicated that the growth rate will be between 2.5 and 3 percent, expressing his optimism regarding the future. He had previously announced in December that the UAE economy would expand by 3.2 percent in 2010.

In Saudi Arabia, Dr. Abdullah Al-Quwaiz, the Saudi ambassador to Bahrain and former general manager of Gulf International Bank, spoke during an economic forum Sunday (February 14th) at the Dammam Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The event focused on the ability of Saudi financial institutions to withstand the global economic crisis. Al-Quwaiz said that Saudi banks enjoy a high level of liquidity, most of which comes from customer deposits. He indicated that the capital adequacy of these banks was above 16.7% in 2009.

Statistics compiled by Moody's and Standard & Poor's published recently indicate that the capital ratios of the top 45 banks in the world do not reach 8%.

In Syria, the Kuwait Investment Company which is listed on the stock exchange revealed Monday that it intends to enter the private banking sector following completion of studies in the field.

The announcement follows a similar one made by the Egyptian investment bank, H C Securities & Investment, which said it was also planning to enter the Syrian banking market.

The Syrian parliament approved a draft law allowing foreign investors to own up to 60% of the capital of any private banking institution in Syrian financial markets. The law aims to encourage foreign investment and attract more capital from the Gulf in particular.

In Bahrain, the Central Bank of Bahrain announced on Tuesday that it intends to introduce tighter limits on banks' credit and investment exposure. The Central Bank plans to introduce an upper limit on commitments to underwriting securities or syndicated loans of 30% of banks' capital for a period of 90 days.

The bank, which oversees financial activities in Bahrain, also said it plans to introduce tighter regulations on banks' exposure to directors and associated companies. The aggregate limits on this will fall to 25% from 40% for conventional banks, while it will also tighten the limits for Islamic banks.

In Lebanon, the Finance Ministry indicated Tuesday (February 16th) that it selected BLOM Bank, Fransa Invest Bank and BNP Paribas to manage a refinancing of medium-term Eurobonds maturing in March, which is being issued under the Republic of Lebanon's Global Medium Term Note Program. Moody's, a credit rating agency, raised Lebanon's rating to B2/B/B.

Is Your Life Being Monitored?

2010-03-03T17:53:00.000+02:00

It could be

It connects you to the world, but your cell phone could also be giving anyone from your boss to your wife a window into your every move. The same technology that lets you stay in touch on-the-go can now let others tap into your private world — without you ever even suspecting something is awry

The new generation

Long gone are the days of simple wiretapping, when the worst your phone could do was let someone listen in to your conversations. The new generation of cell phone spying tools provides a lot more power.

Eavesdropping is easy. All it takes is a two-minute software install and someone can record your calls and monitor your text messages. They can even set up systems to be automatically alerted when you dial a certain number, then instantly patched into your conversation. Anyone who can perform a basic internet search can find the tools and figure out how to do it in no time.

But the scarier stuff is what your phone can do when you aren’t even using it. Let’s start with your location.

Simple surveillance

You don’t have to plant a CIA-style bug to conduct surveillance any more. A service called World Tracker lets you use data from cell phone towers and GPS systems to pinpoint anyone’s exact whereabouts, any time — as long as they’ve got their phone on them.

All you have to do is log on to the web site and enter the target phone number. The site sends a single text message to the phone that requires one response for confirmation. Once the response is sent, you are locked in to their location and can track them step-by-step. The response is only required the first time the phone is contacted, so you can imagine how easily it could be handled without the phone’s owner even knowing.

Once connected, the service shows you the exact location of the phone by the minute, conveniently pinpointed on a Google Map. So far, the service is only available in the UK, but the company has indicated plans to expand its service to other countries soon.

Advanced eavesdropping

So you’ve figured out where someone is, but now you want to know what they’re actually doing. Turns out you can listen in, even if they aren’t talking on their phone.

Dozens of programs are available that’ll turn any cell phone into a high-tech, long-range listening device. And the scariest part? They run virtually undetectable to the average eye.

Take, for example, Flexispy. The service promises to let you “catch cheating wives or cheating husbands” and even “bug meeting rooms.” Its tools use a phone’s microphone to let you hear essentially any conversations within earshot. Once the program is installed, all you have to do is dial a number to tap into the phone’s mic and hear everything going on. The phone won’t even ring, and its owner will have no idea you are virtually there at his side.

Recover deleted text messages (SMS) and last dialed numbers from any SIM cards and smart cards

Did you know that with the help of a simple, inexpensive device, anyone with access to your phone could read your private text messages (SMS), even if you have deleted them previously? This device can even recover contacts and a good number or previously dialed numbers.

Legal loopholes

You might be asking how this could possibly be legal. Turns out, it isn’t – at least, not in the ways we just described. Much like those fancy smoking devices designed “for tobacco use only,” the software itself gets by because of a disclaimer saying it doesn’t endorse any illegal use.

I did a little digging with our friends from Flexispy. You won’t find it on the flashy front page, but buried a bit further in the site, the company says you’re fine to use their program only “on a phone that you own, for protecting your children,” or for purposes like “archiving data.” It’s a bit of a contrast from the bold suggestions of “uncover[ing] employee espionage,” “catch[ing] cheating husbands,” and “bug[ging] meeting rooms” that fill the company’s materials. After a little more explanation, their answer as to the legality of the service ends with a broad statement: “Please consult a qualified lawyer in your country for the correct answer to this question.”

Let me make it easier for you: Once you get into listening in to private conversations without either party’s consent, you’re treading rough water that could sweep you straight into jail. Whether it’s an employee or a spouse on the receiving end of your mission, neither federal nor state privacy laws take violations lightly in America. Getting caught could cost you several years behind bars, among other serious penalties.

Detecting and protecting

Finding spyware on your phone isn’t easy. There are dozens of bug detectors available from surveillance companies, but the only true fix is taking your phone to your provider and having them wipe it out altogether. That will restore the factory settings and clear out any hidden software that’s running on your phone.

Security experts say there may be some subtle signs your phone is invaded:

You seem to have trouble shutting it off, or it stays lit up after you’ve powered down.

The phone sometimes lights up when you aren’t making or receiving a call, or using any other function.

You regularly hear odd background noises or clicks when you’re on the phone.

Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do to safeguard your cell just yet. I’m sure it’s only a matter of time until we see McAfee-style programs to firewall your phone and keep intruders out. For now, though, the only sure-fire form of protection is to keep a close guard on your phone. Don’t accept Bluetooth connections unless you know what they are. Most important, make sure no one has access to install something when you aren’t watching. Otherwise, they may soon be watching you when you least expect it.

Avatar

2010-03-03T17:50:00.002+02:00

The most expensive and technically ambitious film ever made

Cameron had to wait15 years until visual effects capabilities to his imagined world

The King of the World sets his sights on creating another world entirely in "Avatar," and it's very much a place worth visiting. The most expensive and technically ambitious film ever made, James Cameron's long-gestating epic pitting Earthly despoilers against a forest-dwelling alien race delivers unique spectacle, breathtaking sights, narrative excitement and an overarching anti-imperialist, back-to-nature theme that will play very well around the world, and yet is rather ironic coming from such a technology-driven picture. Twelve years after "Titanic," which still stands as the all-time B.O. champ, Cameron delivers again with a film of universal appeal that just about everyone who ever goes to the movies will need to see.

Cameron reportedly wrote the story, if not the full script, for "Avatar" at least 15 years ago but decided he had to wait until visual effects capabilities advanced sufficiently to credibly render his imagined world and its inhabitants. On this fundamental level, the picture is a triumph; it's all of a piece, in no way looking like a vague mish-mash of live-action, CGI backdrops, animation, performance capture and post-production effects. On top of that, the 3D is agreeably unemphatic, drawing the viewer into the action without calling attention to itself. The third dimension functions as an enhancement, not a raison d'etre, so the film will look perfectly fine without it. (When it opens domestically on Dec. 15, approximately 2100 screens will feature 3D, with another 1200 in 2D.)

Then there's the appearance of the indigenous Na'vi clan. In the wake of the still photographs, trailers and 15-minute appetizer offered up by Fox in recent months, a certain wait-and-see reaction could be felt that raised mild doubts about how physically appealing the protagonists would be. But once they're introduced in the context of the picture, these blue-skinned, yellow-eyed creatures quickly become captivating, even sexy, with their rangy height, slim and elongated bodies and skimpy wardrobe, and the grace and dexterity with which they move.

A few more lines of exposition might have helped explain why, in the year 2154 (according to the press notes), Earthlings, represented exclusively, for some reason, by the United States armed forces, need to travel light years away to Pandora to mine a precious mineral that will help rescue the planet from ecological disaster. (Does the U.S. now rule the world? Or is this nation, exclusively, concerned about the environment? Is it the only country left? Or is it simply the best villain for global consumption?)

After the death of his identical-twin scientist brother, wheelchair-bound former Marine Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) takes his place to become an Avatar, a hybrid being that combines human DNA with that of the Na'vi; achieving the Avatar status occurs under lab conditions, with the subject experiencing his or her alternate state as if in a dream. The official hope is that negotiations can help persuade the natives to move aside and allow further exploitation of their land, although hawkish mission commander Col. Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang) enlists the gung ho Jake's help as his personal military spy.

Early glimpses of the intergalactic spaceship, weightless crew members and Avatars floating in liquid-filled cylinders are mere teasers for the wonders awaiting on Pandora itself. Unlike most sci-fi and action films, which seem compelled by formula to kick off with a slam-bang opening and then punctuate things with more mayhem every 20 minutes or so, "Avatar" more gently escorts the viewer into its new world while utilizing a classical three-act structure.

Unavoidable Vietnam vibes emanate from the scenes of futuristic choppers descending upon the verdant jungles and mountainsides of Pandora, a land filled with exotic insects, giant airborne reptiles and birds, dinosaur-like beasts and fearsome, dog-like attack animals. Separated from his scientific companion and fellow Avatar Grace (Sigourney Weaver) and stranded at night, Jake is rescued from becoming a midnight snack by Na'vi warrior Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), who subsequently shows the interloper around and very gradually warms to him as he demonstrates an aptitude for native ways.

Cameron's extensive experience on deep-water ocean dives, which resulted in a couple of Imax 3D documentaries, no doubt influenced the glowing, luminous nature of some of the plant life and floating seeds that waft through the environment's atmosphere, while the grander landscapes offer staggering vistas of places that are perhaps most reminiscent of South America, just as the Na'vi most strongly call to mind the natives of the Americas in their customs and tribal manners. For their language, which is extensively spoken with subtitled translation, Cameron had a professor, Paul Frommer, invent a tongue of more than 1,000 words from scratch, although Neytiri, among others, has previously learned pretty good English from Grace.

Although the young Na'vi males resent him, Jake learns quickly and earns his stripes by successfully piloting a giant flying banshee. After three months, however, just as the colonel is ready to send his young charge back home, Jake crosses over and, inspired by his intimacy with Neytiri, goes native. It's "A Man Called Horse" all over again, with Jake, believing he can help the clan repel the invaders, taking up the role of a resistance leader against overwhelming odds.

Final stretch is devoted to the ferocious battle between the Earthly maurauders, with their huge airborne battleships and mighty arsenal, and the nearly naked home team, armed mostly with bows and arrows. Despite the latter fighting on friendly terrain, the mismatch is just too great, and the way things pan out strikes the one somewhat discordant dramatic note in the picture, resulting in a bit of final-reel deflation; surely, a more complex but believable climax and aftermath could have been found.

Thematically, the film also plays too simplistically into stereotypical evil-white-empire/virtuous-native cliches, especially since the invaders are presumably on an environmental rescue mission on behalf of the entire world, not just the U.S. Script is rooted very much in a contemporary eco-green mindset, which makes its positions and the sympathies it encourages entirely predictable and unchallenging.

On an experiential level, however, "Avatar" is all-enveloping and transporting, with Cameron & Co.'s years of R&D paying off with a film that, as his work has done before, raises the technical bar and throws down a challenge for the many other filmmakers toiling in the sci-fi/fantasy realm. The lead team from Weta in

New Zealand

as well as the numerous other visual-effects and animation firms involved have done marvelous and exacting work, a compliment that extends to every other craft and technical contribution on view.

Playing a grunt in a crewcut before his transformation, Worthington is tough, gruff and assertive as the genetic pioneer turned insurrectionist, while Saldana proves her mettle as yet another kickass Cameron heroine. Lang, already seen to great advantage this year in "Public Enemies," is a relentless militarist par excellence, while Weaver, looking great wearing a Stanford T-shirt, no doubt a personal touch by the alum, is wonderfully authoritative as a scientist so unimpeachable that she can get away with smoking on board an intergalactic spaceship.

Egypt the main countries for creating Trojans designed to steal passwords

2010-03-03T17:48:00.000+02:00

Egypt

mentioned in top ten countries for creating PSW Trojans

Anti-virus vendor Kaspersky Labs has identified Egypt as one of the main countries responsible for creating Trojans designed to steal passwords

In conference held in Moscow that discussed the present and future state of cybercrime around the world, Egypt was mentioned in the top ten countries for creating PSW Trojans in 2009. PSW Trojans refers to a family of Trojans that are typically designed to steal passwords and log-in details from victims

China

was found to be the main country creating of such Trojans (63%), followed by Russia (12%) and then Germany, India and Turkey (4%). Egypt, the United States, Ukraine, Mexico and France completed Kaspersky's top ten at 3%.

In an interview with Aleks Gostev, director of the Global Research and Analysis Team at Kaspersky Lab, he stated that while Egypt made the list the region is not typically known for the creation of malware based on the firm's statistics compiling results from "tens of millions" of computers around the world. Gostev added that Egypt was, in fact, one of the biggest victims of cybercrime in 2008, but in 2009 Egyptian users were attacked a lot less in comparison.

"In terms of the creation of malware, we know single instances of malware creation in this region. For a number of business reasons, Turkey is not included in the Middle East in terms of our statistics, but there is, surprisingly enough, a lot of malware being written in Turkey today. I think the reason that there isn't that many virus writers in these countries might be cultural," Gostev explained.

Culture is the same reason, he believes, that best explains the contrast between China and

India

- while both have high internet populations. there is an overwhelming number of malware coming from China but

India

is responsible for "exponentially less".

Stefan Tanase, senior security researcher for the EEMEA region, also weighed in on the issue by explaining that the wealth of the country played a huge factor, along with the level of education and opportunities given to young graduates. "If someone has a passion for IT, they have a choice of going to the good side or joining the bad side."

The 20 top vehicles -selling in U S A last month

2010-03-03T04:20:00.001+02:00

Vehicles in the

U.S.

through February of 2010 as reported by the

automakers.

Total sales of the top 20 vehicles rose 16.7 percent or

80,368 units to 560,989.

Following is a list of the top-20 selling vehicles, ranked

by total units.

RANK VEHICLE 2010 2009 % Chng

1 Ford F-Series P/U 60,525 48,851 +23.9

2 Honda Accord 43,215 32,557 +32.7

3 Chevy Silverado-C/K P/U 42,594 43,775 -2.7

4 Nissan Altima 34,834 30,137 +15.6

5 Toyota Corolla 34,117 37,341 -8.6

6 Toyota Camry 32,344 41,416 -21.9

7 Chevrolet Malibu 31,589 20,828 +51.7

8 Honda Civic 31,164 29,885 +4.3

9 Ford Fusion 28,638 15,755 +81.8

10 Chevrolet Cobalt 27,063 13,508 +100.3

11 Ford Escape 25,909 18,450 +40.4

12 Ford Focus 24,097 17,673 +36.3

13 Chevrolet Impala 22,679 14,867 +52.5

14 Honda CR-V 21,500 25,513 -15.7

15 Dodge Ram P/U 20,224 27,291 -25.9

16 Nissan Versa 17,523 10,047 +74.4

17 Toyota Prius 16,452 15,353 +7.2

18 Hyundai Elantra 15,656 12,285 +27.4

19 Mazda 3 15,583 13,996 +11.3

20 Nissan Sentra 15,283 11,093 +37.8

Iraqi refugees in U S A

2010-03-03T04:18:00.000+02:00

Many Iraqi refugees unemployed and homeless

One of the most negative and underrepresented consequences of the Iraq war has been the displacement of millions of Iraqis, and it is thousands of these refugees that have been brought over to the United States through the U.S. resettlement program. With World Refugee Day

approaching (June 20), the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank, hosted an event in partner with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to raise awareness on challenges being faced by refugees in America. The conclusion from the distinguished panel of speakers? With the current unemployment rate at 9.4%, the nation’s economic woes have left many Iraqi refugees unemployed and homeless, exposing obvious flaws in the resettlement program that has to be changed.

BACKGROUND ON U.S. REFUGEE ADMISSIONS PROGRAM

In 1980, the Refugee Act established the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) and regularized the process by which refugees come to the country. The U.S. president, in consultation with Congress, determines the exact number of refugees to be resettled in a given year.

As an integral part of U.S. foreign policy, resettlement in the United States is one of the ways the government protects refugees, reflecting the humanitarian principles of Americans to protect the vulnerable and persecuted. Resettlement gives refugees a second chance in life, in which they are freely able to enjoy the safety, freedom, and stability they lacked in their home country. They have full legal rights to live and work in the United States and can apply to become U.S. citizens after five years.

Every year about one percent of the world’s refugees are offered resettlement. As a leader in resettlement, the United States has welcomed 2.6 million refugees since 1975. In fiscal year 2008, the United States resettled over 60,000 refugees, and of those, about 9,200 were resettled by IRC. According to official projections, as many as 75,000 refugees are expected to be resettled in fiscal year 2009.

THE SITUATION OVERSEAS

Because of the severity of the humanitarian crisis in Iraq, displaced Iraqis are now being resettled in the United States at an increasing rate, as evidence by the number that has gone from 202 in 2006 to approximately 17,000 in fiscal year 2009. In February 2009, the IRC’s Commission on Iraqi Refugees traveled to Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and northern Iraq to assess the status of uprooted Iraqis in the region. What they discovered, as stated at the event by George Rupp, President and CEO of IRC, were the severely disheartening conditions being endured by the refugees—without legal status or rights to work they were being exploited and abused. Dr. Rupp spoke further about how he considers the resettlement program “an essential piece to the toolkit.”

EMPLOYMENT CRISIS

With the IRC as a perfect partner to both the government and the U.S. Refugees Program, Iraqi refugees initially are given assistance with short-term housing, enrollment in English classes, enrollment in school for their children, employment, and more. Finally in the land of the free, but where are the jobs? The crisis on our own doorstep is the worsening recession. As stated by another speaker, Robin Dunn-Marcos (Executive Director of IRC in Phoenix, Arizona), Iraqi refugees are struggling now more than ever before with finding employment, leading hundreds of refugees at the very real risk of homelessness during their first year of arrival.

Ms. Dunn-Marcos recalled a story of one of her Iraqi clients who simply asked this: Didn’t they do the math before they brought us here? Now, unlike ever before, every case presents a challenge beyond the system for the IRC. As statistics show, the self-sufficiency rate for fiscal year 2007 was 80%, 2008 was 50%, and the current is 10%. When asked why the United States continues to bring in Iraqi refugees knowing that they cannot properly provide for them now, Ms. Dunn-Marcos replied that “the program saves lives.”

DIFFICULTIES FACED BY IRAQI REFUGEES

While there are positive examples of refugee employment and successful adaptation, most Iraqi refugees are actually facing despair and frustration in the United States. Government support is currently down to 8 months, a number that has not been increased to keep pace with inflation. Challenges faced by Iraqi refugees include difficulty finding a job even with bachelor’s and master’s degrees, facing evictions from their homes, and inability to support their families on such limited public assistance.

Despite these difficulties, resettlement remains the only option still for thousands of Iraqis who are facing war and persecution in their home country or in exile in other parts of the Middle East. The resettlement program is specifically designed for refugees to become self-sufficient quickly and to find work in a short period of time, which means the program severely lacks long-term support. And, because of this, refugees are falling deeper through the cracks of America’s recession. Kathleen Newland, co-founder of MPI and a member of the Board of Directors of the IRC, addressed how the current economic circumstances make it unusually challenging and how some are unable to find work within their field. According to Ms. Newland, many refugees are not having their credentials recognized in an expeditious way—i.e. Iraqi doctors working at McDonalds, if they even have a job at all. The panel felt that this is an extraordinary waste of human capital.

In order to assure that the refugees are able to integrate into American society quickly, safely and with dignity, the structure of the domestic resettlement program must be significantly improved. During the event, Robert Carey, the IRC’s Vice President of Resettlement and Migration Policy, spoke about the need for immediate long-term change rather than a Band-Aid (temporary) solution, and how it is unacceptable to bring in refugees without providing a safety net for them.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE

As further stated by Mr. Carey, the Iraqi refugee program is a system in crisis that is failing to meet the mandate to protect and serve. During the event, the speakers mentioned how the resettlement program is dangerously underfunded and how the services are inconsistent, from state-to-state to community-to-community. They made recommendations on behalf of the IRC’s Commission on Iraqi Refugees, such as increased federal assistance, which means an investment from the government on a long-term level. What it will take is Congress holding hearings to appropriate more funds for the program and extending the time frame during which refugees are eligible for services.

In addition, it is important to avoid the “resettlement lottery” because refugees should receive a uniform and realistic package of services regardless of the state in which they reside. Currently, those in California and Florida are in a better situation than those resettled in other parts of the country because certain states offer more generous levels of public assistance.

Another recommendation is flexibility, which means that the “one size fits all” approach of insisting on early employment is not necessarily the best policy for many refugees, particularly during this economic downturn. Many Iraqi refugees arrive with high levels of educational and professional experience, therefore funds need to be spent on recertification programs to ensure that they can enter the professional workforce. Also, it is unrealistic to expect rapid employment from vulnerable individuals like widows with young children or those suffering from high degrees of trauma and depression due to war and persecution.

Better preparation for resettlement will be another key factor when it comes to improving the system. When applying for admission to the United States through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, Iraqis must be fully briefed on the challenges that will arise when resettling, not just the benefits. It is only fair for them to be well-informed so they can better prepare themselves for such a life-altering move.

Lastly, a comprehensive study needs to be conducted to examine the U.S. program for resettlement and assistance, which has not been thoroughly examined since 1980, the year it was formally created. This study should take into consideration how the needs of different refugee populations will vary from country to country and person to person. For example, some refugees arrive to the U.S. as professionals with university degrees, while others are illiterate in even their own language.

Inside the walled city of apple

2010-03-03T04:14:00.001+02:00

Container trucks and fork lifts rumble nonstop across the sprawling compound, serving a grid of factories that churn out electronics goods for top global brands around the clock.

Inside the walled city -- one of several compounds run by Foxconn International, a major supplier for Apple Inc -- employees are provided with most of their daily needs. There are dormitories, canteens, recreation facilities, even banks, post offices and bakeries.

The rank-and-file within the compound have little reason to venture outside. That reduces the likelihood of leaks, which in turn lessens the risk of incurring the wrath of Apple and its chief executive, Steve Jobs, whose product launches have turned into long-running, tightly controlled media spectacles.

Many of Apple's finished gadgets, from iPods to iPads, are assembled at industrial compounds like the one in Longhua. And when it comes to guarding Apple's secrets, Foxconn, a unit of Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision Industry, and other suppliers throughout the region leave little to chance.

"Security is tight everywhere inside the factories," said a uniformed worker outside the Foxconn factory in Longhua, about an hour from Hong Kong. "They use metal detectors and search us. If you have any metal objects on you when you leave, they just call the police," he said.

Hon Hai spokesman Edmund Ding declined to comment for this article, as did Apple.

But industry sources in China and elsewhere in Southeast Asia say that Apple goes to what one person in the business termed "extreme lengths" to protect even the smallest details of its new products under development.

Many of the Cupertino, California-based company's tactics read like something from a spy novel: information is assiduously guarded and handed out only on a need-to-know basis; employees suspected of leaks may be investigated by the contractor; and the company makes it clear that it will not hesitate to sue if secrets are spilled.

On occasion, Apple will give contract manufacturers different products, just to try them out. That way, the source of any leaks becomes immediately obvious, people familiar with the supply chain said.

And unlike other electronics makers, some of whom prefer the convenience of one-stop shopping, Apple doesn't rely on a single firm to supply everything for a product. The industry sources say the company will often minutely divvy up projects.

"This ensures that the only people who have all the secrets to any Apple product is Apple itself," said a senior official at a subsidiary of Hon Hai Precision Industry. "Other tech companies will also look for their own sources of components to compare, but none of them do as many things in-house as Apple does."

The upshot is that even the people who man the assembly lines have no idea what the finished product will look like.

"The typical production line worker will not see the product until the very last minute when actual production takes place," said an official at one supplier. "It's all concentrated in the hands of a few product development teams." The discretion that Apple demands from its suppliers is merely an extension of the way the company operates at its own corporate headquarters in Cupertino, former employees say.

Apple's obsession with secrecy is the stuff of legend in Silicon Valley. Over the years, it has fired executives over leaks and sued bloggers to stop trade secrets from being exposed.

A tight-lipped ethos permeates working life, particularly in the run-up to the launch of a new device. Projects are siloed in carefully controlled work groups, rooms are guarded by strict key card access, and many have no firm idea about what even their colleagues in the same office are working on.

One former employee, who worked in the marketing department at the time of the iPhone launch, said workers understand that secrecy is part of Apple's mystique, and the silence is self-enforced at the most basic level.

"I didn't even talk about it with my wife," he said. "It's a culture of silence and it's just accepted. You get used to not talking about your work, it becomes normal because everybody is doing the same thing."

THESE GUARDS MEAN BUSINESS

In China, a Reuters reporter found out the hard way how seriously some Apple suppliers take security.

Tipped by a worker outside the Longhua complex that a nearby Foxconn plant was manufacturing parts for Apple too, our correspondent hopped in a taxi for a visit to the facility in Guanlan, which makes products for a range of companies.

As he stood on the public road taking photos of the front gate and security checkpoint, a guard shouted. The reporter continued snapping photos before jumping into a waiting taxi. The guard blocked the vehicle and ordered the driver to stop, threatening to strip him of his taxi license.

The correspondent got out and insisted he was within his rights as he was on the main road. The guard grabbed his arm. A second guard ran over, and with a crowd of Foxconn workers watching, they tried dragging him into the factory.

The reporter asked to be let go. When that didn't happen, he jerked himself free and started walking off. The older guard kicked him in the leg, while the second threatened to hit him again if he moved. A few minutes later, a Foxconn security car came along but the reporter refused to board it. He called the police instead.

After the authorities arrived and mediated, the guards apologized and the matter was settled. The reporter left without filing a complaint, though the police gave him the option of doing so.

"You're free to do what you want," the policeman explained, "But this is Foxconn and they have a special status here. Please understand."

STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

It is unlikely that Apple tells security guards across the Pacific how to go about their business.

The company, which spends billions of dollars on components and contract manufacturers, has a code of conduct that spells out how those working in its supply chain should be treated -- "Suppliers must be committed to a workplace free of harassment," states one. To ensure compliance, Apple periodically audits its suppliers.

But the scuffle in Guanlan does underscore the intense pressure many contractors feel to clamp down on the information flow.

Another way Apple keeps leaks to a minimum is to bring suppliers in at the absolute last minute.

"What usually happens is that we will receive a call from Apple, and by then they usually already have some idea of what exactly they want," said an official at a component supplier, who, like nearly everyone else interviewed for this story, would speak only on condition of anonymity.

"They usually give us a couple of options, we present some stuff to them, and they look at quite a lot of samples before coming to a final decision, sometimes just weeks before the rumored launch," he said.

Apple also helps keep its components out of the mainstream by insisting on custom designs rather than off-the-shelf parts -- a practice that leaves many suppliers frustrated.

An official at a South Korean supplier who said he has participated in Apple projects complained that the company sometimes makes unreasonable requests.

"Apple also wants unique size and specifications," he said. "That means we won't be able to use a common platform or rework those components to serve other clients. And if there's any inventory left, it cannot be used any other way.

Not surprisingly, landing a contract with Apple will always include a confidentiality clause. And they usually come with stiff penalties in the event that a breach is discovered, said sources at some suppliers. These insiders added that such agreements often come on top of unannounced checks by Apple officials to maintain standards.

Two sources familiar with the matter said they were not aware of any company that has been fined for breaching a confidentiality pact. But they say a number a suppliers have been verbally warned that they were in danger of losing their contract if suspected leaks persisted.

The difficulty lies in proving the source of a leak. In the absence of solid evidence, the most Apple can do is to switch suppliers once the contract runs out, the sources said.

"Unless there's a recording or an email that can be clearly identified to a certain Apple supplier, it's all going to be a blame game with everyone pointing fingers at everyone else," one of the sources said.

Hon Hai, the huge Taiwanese manufacturer with units in China, has gone to great lengths in the past to maintain its own secrecy.

In a high-profile case in China in 2006, Hon Hai sued two Chinese reporters and asked for 30 million yuan ($4.4 million) in damages for exposing alleged subpar employment practices.

The amount was later reduced to a symbolic 1 yuan, after stinging public criticism was directed at Apple. Various groups including Reporters Without Borders wrote to Apple chief Jobs asking him to intercede in the case.

Apple's audit of Hon Hai's facilities after the case found that it was in compliance with a majority of its requirements under its supplier's code of conduct. But the company did find a number of violations that it was working to address, though it declined to disclose the specifics.

In another case that made global headlines last year, an employee in China for Foxconn was believed to have jumped to his death after being interrogated by his employer. According to local press reports, he was under suspicion of taking an iPhone prototype -- to which he had access -- out of the factory.

Peace in Sudan

2010-03-03T04:06:00.000+02:00

Could you send human rights monitors to the region

The problem of Darfur

On June 27, the Brookings Institution hosted a panel of experts to discuss the progress and impediments to the Sudanese Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) as

Sudan

prepares for its 2009 elections.

The January 2005 agreement between the Republic of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) negotiated a timeframe for settlements between the North and South. The CPA addresses several issues, among them armed forces, granting separate armed forces to each region and gradual troop withdrawal on both sides. It provides for Southern autonomy until its secession or unification with the North is determined by a referendum set for 2011, and guarantees that oil wealth is divided evenly between the Khartoum government and the SPLM. Establishing dual currency and banking systems as well as separate national flags, the agreement also establishes a transitional administration giving the Republic of Sudan a 70:30 majority, making the split 55:45 in the oil-rich region of Abyei, over which multiple political contenders are vying for control, leading to increased violence and heightened concerns over government human rights violations. Additionally, the CPA allows Shari’a to remain in practice in the North, and establishes constitutional adjustments ensuring that Shari’a does not apply to non-Muslims.

The panel included a both a former and current Sudanese government official, a State Department official, and a representative from Amnesty International. Khalid Koser, a Brookings Fellow in Humanitarian Issues and Deputy Director of the Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement, introduced and moderated the event. Dr. Koser previously served as Senior Policy Analyst at the Global Commission on International Migration and lectures in Human Geography at University College London. He specializes in forced migration, focusing on internal displacement, asylum policies and practice, refugee repatriation, and migrant smuggling.

Dr. Mudawi El-Turabi of the government of Sudan was the first panelist to speak. A Member of Parliament, he serves on the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Subcommittee for Defense & Security. The first to speak, Dr. El-Turabi emphasized that “the problem of Darfur has overshadowed the peace process,” attributing slow progress in scheduling free and fair elections to the conditionality of peace in Darfur before Sudan can become eligible for large sums of promised international aid. Multiple divisions in the opposing factions that comprise the Darfur region mean that the Sudanese government has no official Darfurian entity with whom it can negotiate and no defined political agenda with which to work. Until a certain degree of political unity is achieved, El-Turabi maintained, it is impossible to create the infrastructural stability necessary to fairly represent Darfurians in a national election. The two objectives of the CPA: achieving peace and transforming Sudan’s system of governance into a democracy, must be tackled simultaneously and with collaboration from

Sudan

’s international supporters.

Pamela Fierst, of the U.S. Department of State, who followed El-Turabi’s remarks, agreed that “security is an issue that must work in tandem with our efforts toward democratization.” But, she added, “neither can be sacrificed.” Fierst, the senior Sudan Desk officer in the Africa Bureau’s Sudan Programs Group (SPG), frequently advises both public and private entities on improving U.S. interactions in the region. Her current responsibilities at SPG include preparations for Sudan’s 2009 national elections and as such, she expressed deep concern over impediments in efforts to ensure Darfurians’ electoral voice is heard. Failure to de-marginalize Darfurians prior to the election, she warned, would lead to further exclusion which would only further silence their voices. During this critical period leading up to the election, Fierst emphasized that effective implementation of the CPA “is important now, more than at any time since its signing.”

Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin, who served as Sudan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2005-2007, followed Fierst. Dr. Ajawin is a lecturer at Khartoum University and a member of the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), a predominantly southern and Christian political party established with the aim of creating a secular and democratic Sudan. Though many southern Sudanese advocate independence, the SPLM pushes for unity under a confederal system and was a chief proponent of the CPA along with the National Congress Party (NCP). Ajawin addressed first the complexity of the issues the CPA tackles, reminding his audience that the eleven years it took to negotiate were “indicative of the fact that it is addressing a complicated problem.” Success in identifying key underlying issues was achieved, he said, with the 2002 Machakos Protocol which reached a compromise granting self-determination to the South and allowing Shari’a to remain in implementation in the North. He reiterated throughout the discussion that the parties who negotiated the CPA committed themselves to a united Sudan, but had been encumbered from the beginning by the fact that the CPA was never an open-ended agreement and brought with it deadlines with which external circumstances such as the instability in Darfur, and in Abyei, the area in which CPA implementation has seen the least success, frequently interfered. Securing the region, a necessary condition for implementation, is impossible without international assistance.

Lynn Fredricksson , Advocacy Director for Africa for Amnesty International, the final panelist to weigh in, got a laugh out of the others by qualifying her comments as “constructive criticism…otherwise I wouldn’t be Amnesty International.” Fredricksson, who has served as a human rights consultant for several organizations working in Africa and Southeast Asia, presented eight points of concern. The first five primarily emphasized the behavior of the Sudanese government with regard to the following:

First, she addressed the need for effective provision of humanitarian aid and full accountability for atrocities committed in Darfur. Next, Fredricksson highlighted Amnesty International’s concern over violations of freedom of media and personal expression. The need for legal reforms in Sudan, including media, military, and police laws was the next topic she listed. Al-Turabi had earlier addressed this issue as a work in progress in the National Assembly. Finally, she demanded thorough investigation of government abuses committed during arrests and detentions and further attention to the rights of displaced persons, especially with concern for the recent large influx to Ethiopia, N. Uganda, and Kenya, and concern over the lack of implementation of the 2006 Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement (ESPA). Fredricksson, like the other panelists, also highlighted the lack of international perspective on the relationship between the deteriorating situation in Darfur and the electoral process, insisting that without sustained international attention to implementation, investment, and monitoring, the CPA expectations for the CPA’s effectiveness will remain low. Her final point called on the U.S. government to assume a more active role in mitigating the humanitarian concerns in the region.

The audience numbered over 130, including U.S. academics and policymakers as well as representatives of Sudanese political factions and lobby groups present in Washington. Following the panelists’ presentations, they fielded questions from the audience which centered primarily on the major issues addressed during the panel discussion, from international cooperation to the question of unification. Colin Thomas-Jensen, a policy adviser in the crowd, raised the point that recent polling indicates 90 percent of Southern Sudanese would vote for independence, asking Ajawin what that number means to SPLM policymakers in their efforts to unify Sudan. Ajawin’s response once again highlighted complications with mobilizing an electorate experiencing severe civil unrest - “We want to make the unity of Sudan attractive to those who will vote for it. Those are the Southern Sudanese.” From a government official’s perspective, the incentives to de-marginalize populations in conflict-engulfed regions like Darfur are diminished. The domestic political landscape, without international cooperation, leaves little flexibility. Early in the discussion, Ajawin stated, “at the end of the day, what the common man wants to see is that there is a difference between war and peace. Peace for the common man, means that there are services,” services Sudanese officials argue they cannot provide with the limited means available to them. In this vein, he continued, the Sudanese government would welcome international support from other governments and non-profit organizations in order to help secure the population. Closing the event with a stark reminder of disconnect between those operating from within and outside of the Sudanese political system, Fredricksson responded several minutes later that Amnesty International would be more than happy to send human rights monitors to the region

Iraq: end of oil deal with Japan

2010-03-03T04:03:00.001+02:00

Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani has said that talks over a huge oil development deal with a Japanese energy consortium had broken down, a leading Japanese newspaper reported Tuesday.

Baghdad would "promote the development (in the Nasiriyah oil field) centred around an Iraqi state-owned company", he was quoted as saying by the Asahi Shimbun.

The field is expected to produce 600,000 barrels a day, which would equal 10 percent of Japan's crude consumption.

But a spokesman for Nippon Oil Corp, one of three Japanese energy firms in the consortium, said "the company believes the negotiations are still going. We don't understand what the minister really meant by his remarks".

Nippon Oil said in August the talks were "in progress toward an agreement" that would have set a new production volume record for Japanese companies.

Japan

, the world's second-largest economy, has few natural resources and is almost entirely dependent on the Middle East for its oil.

Iraq

held an oil field auction in December which increased its projected production to 12 million barrels per day within seven years.

During the auction, Baghdad awarded a deal to Malaysia's Petronas and Japan's Japex to develop the Garraf oil field, also in southern Iraq, which has known reserves of 863 million barrels of oil.

The Asahi said the Iraqi government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, who faces elections Sunday, has been criticised for granting too many concessions to foreign oil companies and was reluctant to give more deals to foreigners.

Iran and Sex Slave Jihad

2010-03-02T11:54:00.001+02:00

635 percent increase in the number of teenage girls in prostitution

In Iran for 25 years, the ruling mullahs have enforced humiliating and sadistic rules and punishments on women and girls, enslaving them in a gender apartheid system of segregation, forced veiling, second-class status, lashing, and stoning to death.

Joining a global trend, the fundamentalists have added another way to dehumanize women and girls: buying and selling them for prostitution. Exact numbers of victims are impossible to obtain, but according to an official source in Tehran, there has been a 635 percent increase in the number of teenage girls in prostitution. The magnitude of this statistic conveys how rapidly this form of abuse has grown. In Tehran, there are an estimated 84,000 women and girls in prostitution, many of them are on the streets, others are in the 250 brothels that reportedly operate in the city. The trade is also international: thousands of Iranian women and girls have been sold into sexual slavery abroad.

The head of Iran’s Interpol bureau believes that the sex slave trade is one of the most profitable activities in Iran today. This criminal trade is not conducted outside the knowledge and participation of the ruling fundamentalists. Government officials themselves are involved in buying, selling, and sexually abusing women and girls.

Many of the girls come from impoverished rural areas. Drug addiction is epidemic throughout Iran, and some addicted parents sell their children to support their habits.High unemployment 28 percent for youth 15-29 years of age and 43 percent for women 15-20 years of age is a serious factor in driving restless youth to accept risky offers for work. Slave traders take advantage of any opportunity in which women and children are vulnerable. For example, following the recent earthquake in Bam, orphaned girls have been kidnapped and taken to a known slave market in Tehran where Iranian and foreign traders meet.

Popular destinations for victims of the slave trade are the Arab countries in the Persian Gulf. According to the head of the Tehran province judiciary, traffickers target girls between 13 and 17, although there are reports of some girls as young as 8 and 10, to send to Arab countries. One ring was discovered after an 18 year-old girl escaped from a basement where a group of girls were held before being sent to Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. The number of Iranian women and girls who are deported from Persian Gulf countries indicates the magnitude of the trade. Upon their return to Iran, the Islamic fundamentalists blame the victims, and often physically punish and imprison them. The women are examined to determine if they have engaged in “immoral activity.” Based on the findings, officials can ban them from leaving the country again.

Police have uncovered a number of prostitution and slavery rings operating from Tehran that have sold girls to France, Britain, Turkey as well. One network based in Turkey bought smuggled Iranian women and girls, gave them fake passports, and transported them to European and Persian Gulf countries. In one case, a 16-year-old girl was smuggled to Turkey, and then sold to a 58-year-old European national for $20,000.

In the northeastern Iranian province of Khorasan, local police report that girls are being sold to Pakistani men as sex-slaves. The Pakistani men marry the girls, ranging in age from 12 to 20, and then sell them to brothels called “Kharabat” in Pakistan. One network was caught contacting poor families around Mashad and offering to marry girls. The girls were then taken through Afghanistan to Pakistan where they were sold to brothels.
In the southeastern border province of Sistan Baluchestan, thousands of Iranian girls reportedly have been sold to Afghani men. Their final destinations are unknown.

One factor contributing to the increase in prostitution and the sex slave trade is the number of teen girls who are running away from home. The girls are rebelling against fundamentalist imposed restrictions on their freedom, domestic abuse, and parental drug addictions.Unfortunately, in their flight to freedom, the girls find more abuse and exploitation. Ninety percent of girls who run away from home will end up in prostitution.As a result of runaways, in Tehran alone there are an estimated 25,000 street children, most of them girls.Pimps prey upon street children, runaways, and vulnerable high school girls in city parks. In one case, a woman was discovered selling Iranian girls to men in Persian Gulf countries; for four years, she had hunted down runaway girls and sold them. She even sold her own daughter for US$11,000.

Given the totalitarian rule in Iran, most organized activities are known to the authorities. The exposure of sex slave networks in Iran has shown that many mullahs and officials are involved in the sexual exploitation and trade of women and girls. Women report that in order to have a judge approve a divorce they have to have sex with him. Women who are arrested for prostitution say they must have sex with the arresting officer. There are reports of police locating young women for sex for the wealthy and powerful mullahs.

In cities, shelters have been set-up to provide assistance for runaways. Officials who run these shelters are often corrupt; they run prostitution rings using the girls from the shelter. For example in Karaj, the former head of a Revolutionary Tribunal and seven other senior officials were arrested in connection with a prostitution ring that used 12 to 18 year old girls from a shelter called the Center of Islamic Orientation.

Other instances of corruption abound. There was a judge in Karaj who was involved in a network that identified young girls to be sold abroad. And in Qom, the center for religious training in Iran, when a prostitution ring was broken up, some of the people arrested were from government agencies, including the Department of Justice.

The ruling fundamentalists have differing opinions on their official position on the sex trade: deny and hide it or recognize and accommodate it. In 2002, a BBC journalist was deported for taking photographs of prostitutes. Officials told her: “We are deporting you … because you have taken pictures of prostitutes. This is not a true reflection of life in our Islamic Republic. We don’t have prostitutes.” Yet, earlier the same year, officials of the Social Department of the Interior Ministry suggested legalizing prostitution as a way to manage it and control the spread of HIV. They proposed setting-up brothels, called “morality houses,” and using the traditional religious custom of temporary marriage, in which a couple can marry for a short period of time, even an hour, to facilitate prostitution. Islamic fundamentalists’ ideology and practices are adaptable when it comes to controlling and using women.

Some may think a thriving sex trade in a theocracy with clerics acting as pimps is a contradiction in a country founded and ruled by Islamic fundamentalists. In fact, this is not a contradiction. First, exploitation and repression of women are closely associated. Both exist where women, individually or collectively, are denied freedom and rights. Second, the Islamic fundamentalists in Iran are not simply conservative Muslims. Islamic fundamentalism is a political movement with a political ideology that considers women inherently inferior in intellectual and moral capacity. Fundamentalists hate women’s minds and bodies. Selling women and girls for prostitution is just the dehumanizing complement to forcing women and girls to cover their bodies and hair with the veil.

In a religious dictatorship like Iran, one cannot appeal to the rule of law for justice for women and girls. Women and girls have no guarantees of freedom and rights, and no expectation of respect or dignity from the Islamic fundamentalists. Only the end of the Iranian regime will free women and girls from all the forms of slavery they suffer.