Category Archives: Featured

Featured News from the world.

Posted on by

Iran hails Egyptian mass protests against Hosni Mubarak

Iran’s president Ahmadinejad  calls Egyptians uprising against President Hosni Mubarak as a new serge of Islamic Middle East is emerging. He further stated that this new change will have no contribution or interference of the United States or Israel.

Ahmadinejad gave this statement while addressing Iranian people on the occasion of the 32nd anniversary of its 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The Iranian leader showed his apathy at a time when entire Egypt is facing a political crisis. Egyptian President has appointed his deputy to take authority but refused to resign despite being pressurized by global community. The pressure began following a continuous mass protest by thousands of his opponents for more than 17 days demanding Mubarak’s resignation.

Thousands of Iranians have marched to protest in support of Egyptian people demanding Hosni Mubarak’s ouster. Many effigies of Hosni Mubarak were also set ablaze in Iran.

Iranian media too supported the cause of Egyptian people showing live footage of mass protests in Cairo at Tahir Square.

Iran itself is not in harmony with the international community due to its disputed nuclear program. Still, it hails mass uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt by calling them a ‘replay of its own Islamic Revolution.’

Ahmadinejad also stated that the new Middle East would grow without any interference from US and Zionist regime.

Posted on by

Egyptian president Mubarak resists global pressure to step down

Despite international pressure to step down, the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is not ready to give up so easily. Following the huge mass protests by the opposition groups and violent clashes between supporters and opponents of the president, the United States and many other countries are urging Mubarak to settle for surrendering and not fighting next elections.

In stead of resigning, Mubarak has reshuffled his cabinet recently and appointed Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman as deputy president to show that he was not affected by the chaos. The Egyptian president still holds control over military with the help of which, he is trying to suppress protestors. Thousands of opposition members have been arrested for demonstrating against Mubarak to restore normal situation in Cairo. The president has also imposed emergency law in the country.

The United States is continuously trying to persuade Mubarak to step down and allow immediate political change after 30-year one man rule. However, Hosni Mubarak has warned against attempt to enforce swift changes in Cairo’s politics and stated that it might lead to chaos in the country.

The United States is perplexed in its own dilemma. The White House has always been a supporter of Egypt and facilitated it with billions of aid assistance. The recent change in its stand against President Mubarak has made the future of US-Egypt relations quite uncertain. This might also be taken as a warning notion for all the autocratic rulers in the Middle East.

Posted on by

US to remove Sudan from terrorism sponsoring states’ list

US President indicates possibilities of removing Sudan from terrorism sponsoring states’ list. Barack Obama stated that if Sudan fulfills the requirements of being recognized as a country against terrorism and accepts South Sudan as an independent nation, it would become a clean country without label of states sponsoring terrorism.

Omar al-Bashir, Sudanese President stated that he had acknowledged Southern Sudan’s demand for independence. However it is likely to create another blow on peace of the entire African region.

The United States gave a clear indication of prospects of removing Sudan’s name from the notorious list. The statement of President Obama and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton came in the wake of January referendum’s results in South Sudan. The results express Southern Sudanese people’s desire to be independent.

The US will also recognize Southern Sudan as a sovereign nation and this would facilitate Khartoum government with a chance to improve its image in the global community.

Obama also expressed hopes for better bilateral relations with Khartoum government and the new state-Southern Sudan and for their development.

Sudan President Omar al-Bashir has finally agreed to accept Southern Sudan’s independence seeing it as an unavoidable situation. He congratulated Southern Sudanese for voting to form a new nation.

Sudan has been mentioned in the US terrorism list with other three states Iran, Syria and Cuba.

Posted on by

President Obama calls on US firms to enhance employment

US President Barack Obama offers to business firms to support on creating new jobs. Obama urged the firms while addressing the US Chamber of Commerce on Monday.

He stated that he would support the big business giants in terms of reducing tax burdens and liberalize rules provided they create more jobs for the US citizens.

He appealed to the groups for investing more for new innovations and gear up the shaken economy.

Obama also pledged to revive the increased and permanent federal tax credit for the purpose of research and development, that would benefit Massachusetts and its academic and research institutions.

Bay State business groups appreciated President’s focus on tax credits and the executive vice president of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, Jim Klocke stated that it would benefit  in the growth of business like biotechnology.

Obama quoted Kennedy to inspire businessmen to help the US government in making the future of people.

He revealed that he had no problem in removing restrictions or revising them however he emphasized on their necessity. Obama also repeated his unshakable stand for the Healthcare law and national insurance plan, though it was opposed by the US chamber of Commerce.

Obama’s address at US chamber is regarded as the most influential reflux of his new strategy toward corporate sectors and willingness to support them.

Posted on by

Egyptian president refuses to surrender despite mounting pressure

Washington —Hosni Mubarak, the president of Egypt remains in power despite huge mass protests and international condemnation. Conducting a meeting of his new government’s economic team, he shows that he is indifferent toward all this chaos and has no intention of surrendering after ruling Egypt for a continuous 30 years period.

Hosni Mubarak’s firm faith in him for being the only person to keep Egypt safe and stable keeps him going despite the crisis in the entire nation. The opposition and its supporters have come down to streets in tens of thousands in number protesting against Mubarak and demanding for his resignation has not even moved him a bit. In stead of

Responding to the global call, he called it a betrayal when his former allies from West started pressurizing Mubarak to resign.

Mubarak’s announcement in a news conference on Friday about not standing in the next elections has been taken overwhelming positive by the United States.

Mr. Mubarak has declared Omar Suleiman as vice president recently. Despite his trial to negotiate with Mubarak, US President Obama failed to convince him to step down.

Mr. Mubarak, who is 82 years old now had faced three wars during his 30 years in power and many attempts of assassination. He also survived an Islamic uprising and many of his supporters believed that Mubarak had successfully retained peace in Egypt for last 30 years.

Posted on by

Palin analyzes political situation in Egypt

Sarah Palin has put forward her opinions as regards the political situation in Egypt, accusing the presidency of President Obama and raising her disturbed interests over the issue.

The former Alaskan governor said Saturday in a media chat that the White House wasn’t trying its best to create enough publicity in America about the recent happenings in Egypt.

Palin said the Obama Presidency should be in touch with what is happening in Egypt and also not support a country led by an Islamic faction.

She did not give any advice as to how it should be gone about but she only claimed that a good mind is needed in this stressful situation.

Her opinion is the same as for other 2012 presidential aspirants- John Bolton and Newt Gingrich.

She said she would never change from being who she has always been- unconcerned about what is said about her and that if she makes her presidential ambition she would still be unchanged.

In response to the question asked on her decision not to go to the CPAC’s annual program in Washington, she made reference to the Conservative Political Action Conference’s decision to bring in a selection of pro-gay Republicans saying should the conservatives not have the option of engaging in public discourses or extending their influence to others, which she wouldn’t agree to.

Posted on by

Egypt halts natural gas supply to Israel, Jordan after gas leakage

Egypt has stopped exporting natural-gas by pipeline to Israel and Jordan following a fire, revealed Egyptian Oil Ministry.

The ministry further stated that the halt was mad e to restrict further damage to the pipeline. The incident occurred due to gas leakage in El Arish in the northern Sinai desert where the authorities suspected foreign hands behind terrorist activities. The fire was however under control without any casualty despite flames and smoke billowing out into the sky, explained the ministry in its statement. This ignites tension amidst the huge mass protests going on in Egypt for the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak for last 12 days. Mubarak has warned people that if he leaves Egypt would be under chaos.

The activists made a human chain in Cairo at Tahrir Square to stop military tanks while demonstrating against President Hosni Mubarak. It is notable to remember that Egypt was the first Arab country to sign a peace deal with Israel in 1989.

Israel’s Ministry of National Infrastructure revealed that there was no fear of interruption in electric supply to the country from this incident of fire in the pipeline. Israel meets 40% of its gas consumption needs from gas imported from Egypt. The break in gas supply from Egypt will also hamper export to Jordan however they have ample backup fuel to run the normal activities, revealed Ghaleb al-Maabira, Jordan’s state electricity company’ general director.

Egypt possesses 77 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves and is the main supplier of fuel in the easter Mediterranean region.

Posted on by

Unemployment decreases without increase in jobs in US

No job growth in US despite decrease in Unemployment U.S. economy registers very low job creation in January, according to the report of the federal unemployment. Thus though there has been a reduction in percentage of unemployment the actual number of people who are unemployed, remained almost unchanged.

Bad weather was also cited a reason for slow hiring rates as per the report. Employers have not changed their defensive strategy despite a remarkable recovery of US economy.

However it is surprising how the calculation of unemployment rate on national level shows a dramatic reduction– decreasing to 9% in January, from its earlier level of 9.4% in December that was even greater one month before– 9.8% in November.

This might be however an indication of negative factors rather than increase in employment. Young working population fleeing away from US job market led to a proportional decrease in unemployment that clearly indicates that there is no expectation of increase in jobs among US people.

Bart van Ark , the chief economist of Conference Board called it a chilling start for this year as US labor market could not gain the same momentum with the economic recovery after depression.

Bureau of Labor Statistics however gave some optimistic notion as they registered 49000 jobs in manufacturing sector this month and there was in an increase of 27500 jobs in the retail section. However there was decrease in jobs in government, financial services, transportation, construction, and ad-hoc -help works last month.

Posted on by

UN Shifts employees from Egypt to Cyprus for safety

The United Nations asked its members to move from Egypt seeing the mass unrest in the country. More than 5,000 passengers were besieged at Cairo airport following the violent protests in Cairo against President Hosni Mubarak.

The U.N. has sent two chartered aircraft to take back its 350 staffs and their families safely to Cyprus.

Rolando Gomez, spokesperson for the UN stated that the organization has shifted its 600 employees temporarily from Egypt to Cyprus due to security reasons. They would however, continue their usual service from Cyprus.

Around 1900 US citizens have left Egypt within three days and the United States is providing emergency supports for travel documents and flights to all its citizens for evacuating. Additional flights are being provided on Thursday to evacuate foreign nationals safely from Egypt. More than 150 US citizens were found waiting eagerly to board any available flight commercial or government-chartered flight.

There was a heavy congestion on the Cairo airport as more than 5000 passengers crowded there on Wednesday. The passengers had reached the airport fearing the bloody street brawl in the Egyptian capital city.

The mass unrest has engulfed Egypt since January end. Thousands of flights have been cancelled in the wake of violent protests. Tourism sector alone has suffered a loss of $1 billion so far in last 10 months.

Posted on by

Clinton expresses concern over mass protests in Egypt

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warns diplomats against the situation in the Middle East considering it as a threat to the safety of America. She said this while addressing diplomats on Wednesday. Clinton mentioned the disclosure of confidential documents by WikiLeaks along with the difficulties in passing State Department budgets and reduction in foreign aids and called on Americans for taking up these challenges.

Clinton expressed her concern over mass protests and uprisings in Egypt against the President Hosni Mubarak and demand for his ouster. She stated that the development of means of communication has made all the nations more vulnerable these days and we are all in an “uncharted territory.”

She cited the leakage of information regarding a meeting she had called in to talk with all US ambassadors. She further added that the authorities had predicted to call on this Global Chief of Mission secretly however somehow the report was leaked and the meeting lost its importance.

The US Secretary also mentioned that due to unrest and uprising in Cairo, US envoy to Egypt missed a State Department meeting too. She said that there are cross complexities in the politics of theses countries which US needs to understand before taking any further action.