Author Archives: Gunjan Priya

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Yemen Protests – Three killed, 76 injured in clashes

Clashes between anti and pro government demonstrators resulted in the loss of lives of three anti government protestors and injuries to 76 demonstrators.

Anti government demonstrators took to the street much like Egypt and Tunisia. They shouted for economic and political reform. The ouster of President Abdullah Saleh was a part of the demand.

The 10,000 strong crowd of anti government protestors in the city of Tiaz were attacked by 8000 pro government demonstrators resulting in the loss of two lives and injuries. Yemeni soldiers had a tough time in dispersing the protestors. It took two hours for 5000 soldiers to disperse the protestors in Tiaz.

It is reported that the government supporters hurled a bomb on anti government demonstrators in Tiaz killing two of them. The other death resulted in Aden when an anti government demonstrator was shot down. Pro government demonstrators are armed with batons, rocks and knives.

The poor African nation is being torn apart by a Shiite movement in the north, a separatist movement in the south and growing terrorism across the country.

President Saleh who has been in power for 30 years refuses to step down. But his offer to have a national dialog on issues has been accepted by the opposition.

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Yemeni people call on President Saleh to resign

A lot of Yemeni demonstrators resisted petition for peace and trudged in mass through the capital on Thursday in a move to remove the country’s head of state.

At one side stood the followers of the head of state and at the other side were the demonstrators against the government. Smell and sight of burnt rubber filled everywhere especially next to closed shops with the noise of gunfire heard also.

On Thursday, the underprivileged capital saw the most violent of conflict since that of Tunisia and Egypt.  Although few in number, Yemen’s anti-government protesters unexpectedly came back in full force to fight back with different kinds of dangerous weapons.

For some onlookers, the tumultuous situation on Rabat Street – after weeks of pacific demonstration even in the presence of well protected government militia- points out that a change has taken place in this mid-eastern country.

In the midst of this turbulence, Saleh a United States supporter who has held power for over three decades has declared an inquiry into the untimely demise of demonstrators. That night, The President met with senior military personnel, with one of them referring to these as ordinary fighting.

On Thursday protesters against the government gathered in seven regions emphasizing its instability.

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Apple, Google to facilitate clients with better gadgets

Apple and Google are currently making efforts for their clients to gain access on different gadgets.

The two corporations introduced competitor services to enable issuers produce conditions and premiums for allocated contents in apps so long Apple can gain a piece of the cake in profits made.

Apple’s access billing package, said on Tuesday, the issuers and editors of magazines and other print and video media could set their own provisions and charges for selected stuffs from the App store. This different packages promises user’s opportunity of usage to plans paid for on iTunes, whatever the gadget used.

Google released its one permit package plan the following day, increasing content users’ access over a wide variety of these Pc gadgets and phones. A 10% part profit is contemplated from these issuers.

A Part of the publishers or issuers have shown their negative reactions to this deep and high price package prices but others have accepted the deal saying the only negative reactions from customers is that they want a direct iPad access.

Apple representative Trudy Muller refused to say something as to if there would be any flexibility afforded with respect to gain sharing. “Our idiosyncrazy is simple,” said Apple CEO Steve Jobs. “When Apple expects to presentnew client to the app, Apple makes a 30% gain. When the issuer brings an old client then Apple has nothing but the issuer owns 100%.

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Ahmadinejad says mass protests not to make history in Iran

Buoyed by the Iranian Parliament’s demand for the prosecution of two prominent leaders of the opposition movement, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad expressed confidence on Tuesday that the mass demonstrations are going to fail. On Monday Iran witnessed antigovernment protests after a year.

It is reported that nearly 20,000-30,000 people took to the streets in protest in Iran, including the capital Tehran. Two student leaders have lost their lives in the demonstrations.

The mass movements started after the last elections. President Ahmadinejad, who holds on to power despite allegations of a rigged re-election, claims that these are the machinations of foreign nations to destroy a great nation. But mass opposition leader Karroubi predicts the uprising in Iran will go Tunisia and Egypt way where the oppressive rulers have been forced to flee.

Karroubi says that the government must remove cotton from the ears and listen to the people’s voice. He strongly believes that oppression works only up to a point and history is proof of that.

Though a number of opposition members have been prosecuted, the government has not dared to prosecute the two prominent mass leaders Mir Hussein Moussavi and Mehdi Karroubi fearing wide spread unrest.

American President Barrack Obama has lauded the courage of the Iranian demonstrators and criticized the Iranian government’s response to the demonstrations. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton denounced the use of the Internet by the Iranian government to hunt down critics.

The opposition leaders like Karroubi do not have any future plans, but he is hopeful that the street demonstrations would overhaul the government and unseat not just Ahmadinejad, but also the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

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Democrats fail to reduce entitlement program expenditure

Republicans simply stuck to criticizing Obama and the Democrats for their failure to curb federal spending on entitlement programs without offering any cuts from their sides. They are not revealing as of now what they are going to put forward in their budget plans for 2012.

President Obama has asked for adult conversation on this issue. He is of the view that the Democrat government has been able to pass the healthcare legislation even in the face of stiff Republican opposition. The bill would reduce debt by $250 billion in the next 10 years. But the effort to cut spending on entitlement programs would require both the parties to come together.

Obama is hopeful that they can handle the issue of Social Security the same way Ronald Reagan and Tip O’ Neill had done it. For this the opposing parties have to come together and make modest changes, he opines.

Democrats are working on the suggestion made by the bipartisan panel that made suggestions to cut Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security to reduce debt. USA debt stands at 62 percent of the GDP in 2010 in contrast to one third of the GDP. In 2020 debt will reach to 90 percent of GDP and by 2025 the entire tax revenues will be used to fund Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

Henry J. Aaron, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, is of the opinion that other programs such as food stamps, housing vouchers and disability payments that only further inflate the problem, also need to be taken in to account to address the issue. This will be a tough task as legislators have to keep their pledge of not raising taxes but they have to cut deficit deeply.

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Apple’s new subscription policy opposed

Apples’ new subscription scheme demands that now all content providers must pay hefty cuts to the company. Content providers for Apple’s iPhone and iPad have strongly opposed the company’s move to charge them 30 percent of the revenues earned.

The move would mean that whenever a customer subscribes to music, movie, newspaper or an ebook publisher via iPhone or iPad that particular publisher which gains the customer has to pay 30 percent of what it will earn from the customer. The move is seen as an untenable one by subscription providers.

Rhapsody, a music service provider is the first one to call foul. The music service that can be accessed from Apple’s iPhones and i Pads prefers the old system of charging 2.5 credit card fees preferable to a monthly charge of 30 percent of revenue earnings. They are planning business as well as legal action against Apple’s decision.

Though Steve Jobs clearly states that they want 30 percent cut only when Apple brings a customer to the subscription and that Apple does not want anything in the case where the publishers of the content subscription bring in a customer. Yet 30 percent is perceived as very high in comparison to others, such as Wal Mart that charges only four percent. The margin is razor thin in digital content and the content providers have objected to Apple’s move.

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Obama fails to convince US people on economic recovery

A recent study shows that Americans are yet not satisfied with Obama’s rate of creating jobs in the country. With only 48% job creation so far, the US President has failed to convince people that the US economy is on the path of recovery.

Bill Plante, a journalist stated that Americans did not believe in the story of economic recover and a major part of the US population did not believe on the statistical figures about end of recession.

Around  37 percent Americans regarded the study has been based on real assessment and believed in what it said regarding economic improvements during Obama’s presidency.

However, the projections made by President Obama about fiscal deficit in 2012 did not convince all as it has been based on the assumption that the US economy would continue to grow.

However, the research showed that more than 59 percent US people, who earn less than $50 thousand annually, regarded the tax hikes completely unnecessary on the basis of predictions of budget deficit.

People with higher income—i.e. more than $100,000 per year admitted that it would be necessary for the government to raise taxes to help the country to bail out.

Overall, most of the people of the United States feel uncomfortable over reduction in funding public welfare programs and more than 40 percent said it was not necessary.

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Middle East fears violence, political instability in Egypt

Fear of unrest in Middle East

There is an aftermath of Egyptian revolution and Mubarak’s exit leading to chaos in entire Middle East region. Uprising of Egypt and Tunisia have clearly demonstrated how people are dissatisfied with autocratic governments and common people have realized the need to voice their protest against sectarian violence.

The precautionary measures taken by governments of different nations in the Middle East to suppress any possible uprising after Egyptian crisis clearly show its impacts.

Yemen  too has witnessed an uprising as hundreds of demonstrators protested on Sunday. They marched to Presidential palace and took over the streets in Taizz City.

Yemen people are more enthusiastic following the fall of Hosni Mubarak’s government in Egypt and they too demanded ouster of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Many other nations in the Middle East are facing political crisis and governments are deploying riot police trying to suppress public movements. In Tunisia, President Zine el Abidine ben Ali was overthrown on Jan 14.

From Morocco to Iran, the entire Middle East region is going through a dogma of religious extremism and sectarian violence which common people want to get rid of. There is a continuous struggle between wealthy and have nots along with political violence and corruption.

Jordan and Egypt had been the two nations comparatively peaceful than any other nation in the region. They had signed peace treaties with Israel. But recently thousands of Jordanians entered Egyptian embassy to celebrate Mubarak’s exit. This indicates how the people are eager to embrace democracy in Jordan too.

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Republican Paul wins CPAC presidential straw poll for second time

Republican Ron Paul of Texas recaptured the limelight at the Conservative Political Action Conference in the presidential straw elections. He received 30% votes in his favor.

Paul, had ran for Texas president also in 2008, and grabbed 31% to 22%. This year he is followed by ex-governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney. Gary Johnson, ex-governor of New Mexico and the current Governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, received only 6% votes each.

Surprisingly Sarah Palin, Former Alaska Gov. was much behind the racing line with a mere 3 percent votes. She did not even speak at the conference.

It was a rigorous fight between the candidates. The entire polling area and roads were colored white with ballot papers spread everywhere. The runner candidate Romney had won in last polls by getting 24 percent votes defeating Paul by just a single vote.

Romney also won New Hampshire Republican Committee members polls last month.

David Keane, the CPAC organizer, stated that it was not a Gallup’s election. He revealed that around 3,742 people voted voluntarily in the presidential straw polls.  However, only 56% of voters were satisfied with the candidates and CPAC poll results. In 2010 only 46% people had showed pleasure with the expected candidates.

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Pakistan claims US shooter shot ‘not in self defense’

An American diplomat who was arrested by Pakistan authorities in Islamabad had not shot two citizens unintentionally or in self defense, revealed officials. The police official stated that after investigations, it was determined that the diplomat had clearly attempted to murder the two Pakistanis by shooting on them.

The conclusion may cause further rifts in bilateral diplomatic relations between the United States and Pakistan.

Raymond Davis, 36, a US citizen has been detained by a Pakistani court for charges of murder on Friday. Aslam Tareen, a police official from Lahore stated that the convict has been detained by the court for more than two weeks from Jan 27.

Davis said in his defense that he shot the two Pakistanis to defend himself when they took him on gunpoint to rob him. U.S. officials asked Pakistan to release Davis for he was a staff of the US Embassy and deserves diplomatic immunity. Pakistani officials however stated that the issue was now in the hands of the court.

Courtney Beale, a US Embassy spokesperson expressed his regrets over the incident and loss of lives but he defended Davis saying that even eyewitnesses reported that the act was committed in self defense. Despite the request from US officials, Pakistani authorities have not released Davis yet.