The MSA Watchdogs

Bush reveals Israel’s secret on requesting attack on Iran

merzarahim — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 12:18:01 +0000

Israel requested George W. Bush last year for specialized bunker-busting bombs to attack iran, as a result of Iran’s insistence on developing nuclear weapons.

However, bush refused and said that he had authorized new secret action planned to damage Iran’s suspected effort to develop nuclear weapons. according to senior American and foreign officials.

Although it was never clearly spoken that Israel had decided to go into serious action with Iran before bush left office, bush admitted that there was several requests from Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel to fly over Iran through Iraq to find out Iran’s nuclear weapon location.

However, The White House rejected that request, American officials said, and the Israelis backed off their plans, for the time being.

Bush was convinced in an interview with the top administration officials that any attack on Iran would probably prove unsuccessful, and will prove the way to the ejection of international inspector and impel Iran’s nuclear effort further out of view. They also discussed that any air strike could lead to a broad Middle East war.
The international inspectors estimated that Iran had 3,800 centrifuges spinning last year, which are enough to produce one uranium weapon ever eight months. However, the U.S. estimates that Iran has 4,000 to 5,000, of centrifuges spinning.

What happens in public hospitals stays in public hospitals: behind closed gates.

aelmasry — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 23:14:35 +0000

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A piece of reality:

Mr. Gomoa’a is a common worker like so many others in Egypt. His character, background and living are as humble and simple as it can be. He just wants to support his family and live safely. His requirement is surviving.

Mr. Gomoa’a job is ironing people clothe in their houses. He couldn’t start his own business for financial reasons. So he thought why not bring the business to people instead of them coming to the business.

He started working when he was 13 years old in many jobs. “Plumber sometimes and baker other times” he says; till he decided on his current job. His education was ended when he finished primary three; as he had to finance his family. He then married the mother of his four children 22 years ago. He wanted to educate them and so he did.

His life might seem simple but actually its not. Trying to support his family in his financial condition and Egypt cultural circumstances is not easy.

Mr.Gomoa’a soul is not cribbled although his misfortune

Unfortunately before Ramadan month entered with 10 days his leg got broken. How would he be able to go to people houses and he can’t even move. It’s a crisis for him.

So he went to the central hospital of Imbaba; and was told that he needed an operation. Because he can’t afford it; he decided he will just put on a case, in order for his leg to “heal inexpensively” he said to me.

After 21 days of putting the cast, he felt pain in his leg. He discovered that because the cast was not one of good quality; it broke, leaving his leg stressed.

The ticket for a public hospital is for one pound twenty five cents, the cast is for ten pounds forty cents and the x-rays is for fourteen pounds; in comparison with thirty pounds for a ticket in a private hospital and 50 pounds for a x-ray. Consequently Mr. Gomao’a went to the same hospital again to change the cast. Nonetheless yet again after just 15 days the cast broke.

He finally decided it was time for him to go to a private hospital; though the public hospital was cheap it’s costing him his job.

So he went to a private doctor who told him that he did need an operation in the early stages of his broken leg. But Despite all odds Mr. Goma’a leg is healing naturally and his leg is getting better.

He changed the cast for the third time, and now he had to redo all the casting period again. Mr.Goma’a still have 2 month ahead in order for him to take off the cast.

“The system is corrupted; there are neglects in all public hospitals, but what should we do” said mr.Goma’a.

What really happens?

People can’t afford private doctors and hospitals; one fifth of the 70 million Egyptian are living on five pounds a day.

“Public spending on health care has fallen behind over the last six years, accounting for

1.3 percent of gross domestic product in 2006, compared with 2.4 percent in 2001”, data from the United Nations report on human development in Egypt showed from (Alaa Shahine, Babies’ deaths cast shadow on Egypt’s health care, 2008)

Being healthy and alive is a need; it’s a right and a privilege that people were born with. Why would that change?

The government should be able to provide those basic needs of survival. What would people do if the government or they won’t be able to provide those needs? Would people survive without a good health care and if they did survive, how will there life be?

Egypt has public hospitals; they are financially supported by the government. That’s not the problem; however the real dilemma is the conditions of these hospitals. Are those hospitals capable enough to take care of people lives?

In late May in Al-Matariya Educational Hospital the electricity stopped working for approximately three hours and even the back-up generators was not working. As a result four babies died in the hospital nursery. (See full article)

Qasr Al-Aini hospital; recently it emerged that the hospital has been selling medicines past their expiry date to patients. (See full article)

In Menya El Kameh hospital in Sharkia there was a towel forgotten in 40 years old Asmet Farid in her as a result there is now a hole in her stomach and a blood poison. (See full article)

A recent report by the central labs in the ministry of health says that some of the medicines used in Al Fayoum hospital to cure liver diseases are not identical to those authorized by the health ministry. (See full article)

These are only few examples of what is going on in Egypt public hospitals; children dying, elderly are treated with wrong medicines. People go in; to be cured and leave in worse conditions.

Young people are waiting for alternatives, but who will fulfill their dream of change

“No, there are only minor problems in hospitals, no one usually complains, but some times of course major things happen; like one time a mum put a blanket on a nursery box so it caused a fire” a doctor in several hospitals that preferred to who stay anonymous.

She added “the problem was there were no fire extinctions and no one observing the nursery; put the whole department was under investigation.”

National lawyer Magda Abaza “we know that the conditions of hospitals is not good; especially the public hospitals”. She added that “the young generations of doctors and nurses are not qualified enough”.

She then explained the legal steps for which a mistreated patient can do, the penalties that can occur on the faulted doctors or nurses. She also discussed how much this kind of lawsuit can be and the options available for the financial help of poor victims. (See video)

So the question remains who should people blame?

The lives of so many innocents are not appreciated, and people just want to survive. Why is that happening?

Misuse of resources is one reason; MP Mimi El-Omda claimed to Karim El-Khashab in Al Ahram Weekly newspaper. This is a result of insufficient resources; the Health Ministry was unsuccessful to make the finest use of both the money and human resources.

There are approximately 12 billion Egyptian pounds ($2.24 billion) that will be spent by the ministry of health on health care this year on the other hand there will be approximately 22 billion pounds spent on security and defense about next year.

Talking about priority; who would the government defend if people are either dead or sick? If the system does not value people lives so why all this money on defending them.

Egypt has a long history with corruption, and public hospitals are just a tiny part of a corrupted system that stopped functioning years ago.

Moreover; educational problem, till the year 2000, illiteracy rates were 44.7%. Even those who are educated suffer from the educational system itself. The curriculums are old and it’s not coping with the new global era we live in. Practical work in schools is undermined. The education system is moving background. And even when people get educated, there is hardly any training. Doctors work with little training and knowledge of new technologies. We are not used of the idea of continuous learning and training.

Schools are overcrowded and it’s not properly qualified to be a learning area. How can those people become those who cure?

Furthermore, how could we expect people who live miserable lives to serve ours?

It’s not only that nurses and doctors are poorly trained and educated; however they are poorly paid.

“Salary of a young doctor is 250 pounds ($47) a month,” said Amr Abu El-Ela, a doctor at Al-Sahil hospital in Cairo to Alaa Shahine from Reuters.

Doctors and nurses live difficult lives; they bear the burden of how they are going to feed, educate and shelter themselves and their families.

With the little money they take they hardly can do their jobs with clear minds and full energy. So they start give up to temptations such as briberies; they take care of some people and ignore the others. They stopped caring for most of the people as they are also not cared for financially.

It’s an endless loop; government pays practically nothing to nurses and doctors, they start also ignoring sick and needed people.

Because public hospitals are for reasonable prices aimed for the poor; most of the Egyptians go there even when they know that these hospitals are not good ones.

Therefore there are a lot of people who go to these hospitals and few good doctors to serve and hardly any qualified equipments to use.

The demand is more than the supply; and the qualifications needed are more than the available.

Doctors reactions:

A group of new doctors decided to start a new organization called “Doctors without rights” they want to make people aware of their and the medical system conditions. They demand their minimum wages increase to 500 pounds.

In conclusion:

Like Mr. Goma’a case there are so many other cases with worse situations; people lives are not valued by the system in Egypt.

“The story of Mohamed mother”

by the “Egyptian truth blog” reporter

See video

The public hospitals are in a very bad condition; nurses are not trained or qualified for the jobs. The medical cast is underpaid greatly; as a result they can’t take care of people like they should. They have other priorities in their minds.

People getting treated badly, weather they are the nurses or the patients results in an endless circle of corruption. Briberies, death and racism against the poor; all are consequences of a bad system.

The government priorities are not in the right place; they should put more money in public hospitals. Most of the Egyptian people can’t afford to go to private hospitals.

And they are obliged to trust their public system as there is no other choice. The health department is one of the most important departments; as it’s responsible for people lives.

More reactions are demanded for bettering the health care in Egypt especially the public health care.

-The end-

USA and UN call for cease-fire from Israeli attacks on Gaza

rouelshimi — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 19:11:17 +0000

US Secretary of State Condaleezza Rice and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon call for immediate cease-fire after Israeli air raids on Gaza last Saturday.
In what is said to be the heaviest strike on Palestinians since the 1967 attacks, more than 200 people died and 700 were injured according to BBC sources, including civilians.
The raids started only days after a truce between the Israeli government and Hamas expired.
Condaleezza Rice accused Hamas of having triggered the bombings saying, “”The United States strongly condemns the repeated rocket and mortar attacks against Israel and holds Hamas responsible for breaking the ceasefire and for the renewal of violence in Gaza,” she said, “the ceasefire should be restored immediately” She added.
Ban Ki-moon also called for immediate cease-fire on both sides condemning Israeli forces for repeated attacks on Palestinian civilians and Hamas for ongoing rocket attacks during a truce.
Middle East envoy Tony Blair and French EU presidency also called for cease-fire.
Israeli Defense Ministed Ehud Barak stated that there was a time for peace and a time to fight, “Now the time has come to fight” He told BBC.
Israel fired targets all across Gaza, aiming for Hamas Organizations Headquarters.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Reuters, “we tried to avoid, and I think quite successfully, to hit any uninvolved people – we attacked only targets that are part of the Hamas organisations”.
Hamas reported that all their security compounds in Gaza were destroyed during the strikes.
Hamas immediately fired rockets on Israeli territory as a form of revenge.
Locals reported that many of the casualties were civilians including many women and children.
“The hospital is not accustomed to accept mass casualties like this,” Dr. Mahmoud el-Khazndar, who works in Gaza City’s Shifa Hospital, told CNN. He said he had treated at least half a dozen children.

For reactions on this story please click here

Egypt adopts new traffic law

rouelshimi — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 19:02:30 +0000

As of August 1st 2008, the Egyptian government issued a new traffic law and enforced its use.
The laws included;
- FAILING to wear a seat belt doubles the risk of injury should you be in an accident and leaves you open to a fine of between LE100 to LE300.
- Using a cell-phone while driving distracts your attention. You will be fined between LE100 and LE300.
- Driving in the wrong direction. You could be fined between LE1,000 to LE3,000.
- Parking in the wrong place causes traffic jams and will see your licence suspended for a period of no less than 30 days.
- You could be imprisoned for not less than six months and fined between LE200 to LE1,000, if caught removing wheel clamps.
- You could be imprisoned for a period of no less than six months and fined LE300 for allowing indecent acts to take place in your car.
- Driving at night without head and tail lights and without side mirrors could cause your licence to be suspended for a period of not less than six months.
- Driving in unauthorised processions could see your licence suspended for a period of no less than 30 days.
- A reflective warning sign prevents road accidents when you stop at night. The driver of any vehicle that does not carry one will be suspended for 30 days.
- A first-aid kit will help you take care of injuries until the ambulance arrives. Failing to have a first-aid kit in your car will see your licence suspended for a period of no less than 30 days.
- Using projector headlights at night endangers other people’s lives. Your licence could be suspended for a period of no less than 30 days.
- Failing to wear a crash helmet when riding a motorcycle will cost you a fine of LE100.
To see a full document of the new laws click here.
The first four days after the traffic law was in action, 3950 traffic violations were recorded and 876 drivers license withdrawn at the hands of Egyptian police as a way to enforce these laws.
This caused a very big stir in Cairo especially, with people afraid to take their cars out in fear of fines, higher bribes and license revocation.
“The law will bring order to our streets and safeguard lives and property,” Deputy Interior Minister Sherif Gomaa told Daily News Egypt before Aug. 1.
Discussions among people remain still to this day about the jail sentences in some of the laws, and how much order this law will really bring.

Senate Republican; Kit Bond declared retirement

aelmasry — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 14:18:49 +0000

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The retirement of Kit Bond; the four-term senator from Missouri, is generating a different challenge in the Democratic Party’s. The party is attempting to grow seats in the Democratic-led chamber.

The third U.S. Senate Republican proclaimed his plans to withdraw from the political spectrum; at the end of his current term in 2010, in a speech in his state capital of Jefferson City.

In 1972, I became Missouri’s youngest governor,” Bond said, according to a transcript. “Ladies and gentlemen, I do not aspire to become Missouri’s oldest senator.

Mel Martinez of Florida and Sam Brownback of Kansas also have announced their retirement.
“These retirements put Republicans in the defensive mode at the start of the new (election) cycle,” said Nathan Gonzales of the nonpartisan Rothenberg Political Report. “The more open seats there are the more difficult it is to make gains.”

On the other hand four democrats’ senates are steeping in to join the administration of Barack Obama . The elected president gave up his seat from Illinois to get ready for his shift to the Whitehouse.

Also joining him as the vice president is Joe Biden. Biden will also be resigning from his Senate seat of Delaware. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Ken Salazar of Colorado; will also be joining the administration.

The governors of New York, Delaware and Colorado are anticipated to substitute Clinton, Biden and Salazar with Democrats.

Report about Bond retirement (see video)

German tycoon takes his own life

deena1 — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 19:08:09 +0000

German billionaire Adolf Merckle threw himself under a train after his business empire suffered financial losses brought by the current global financial crisis.

The 74-year-old’s body was found Monday night on railway tracks at Blaubeuren in southwestern Germany about 300 yards from his villa. Prosecutors in nearby Ulm described the death as a “railway accident” and said there was no evidence that anyone else was to blame. A suicide not has also been found.

“The desperate situation of his companies caused by the financial crisis, the uncertainties of the last few weeks and his powerlessness to act, have broken the passionate family entrepreneur and he took his own life,” a family statement said.

Merckle, whose business empire included interests ranging from pharmaceuticals and cement to VW cars, was the world’s 94th-richest person in 2008 according to Forbes magazine.

The empire had suffered heavy losses after his family made wrong-way bets on Volkswagen shares, which soared in October when fellow car maker Porsche SE moved to increase its stake in the company.

The family had been under pressure to sell assets or seek loans and the family has been in talks with banks for weeks.

The father of four strove to avoid publicity. He enjoyed family life, skiing and mountain climbing. The modest mogul avoided displaying his wealth; he rarely threw parties and did not own fast cars or a yacht.

Travolta and Preston ‘heartbroken’ over son’s death

deena1 — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:24:11 +0000

Picture from bbc.co.uk

Jett Travolta was found unconscious in the Bahamas during a family vacation. His famous parents, John Travolta and Kelly Preston, said they were “heartbroken” over the death of their 16-year-old son.

“We are heartbroken that our time with him was so brief. We will cherish the time we had with him for the rest of our lives,” said the 54-year-old actor.

A body autopsy was performed and the cause of death was determined to be seizure.

Jett had a history of seizures. He first became ill at the age of two and was later diagnosed with Kawasaki Syndrome, a condition that can lead to heart disease.

“Preston, who also said Jett suffered from asthma, blamed household cleaners, fertilizers and pesticides for sparking (his health) condition and lobbied for more detailed labeling on chemical products,” People magazine said in its online edition.

“Jett was the most wonderful son that two parents could ever ask for and lit up the lives of everyone he encountered,” the family said in a statement on Travolta’s website.

Fatal quake hits Indonesia

eshraky — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:38:49 +0000

A 7.6 magnitude Earthquake hits the northern coast of West Papua in Indonesia killing four and leaving several injured on Sunday.

It’s the third earthquake that hit Indonesia in the same week, earlier this week two earthquakes hit the western Indonesia’s province Bengkulu province on Sumatra Island last Wednesday.

Following the series of earthquakes, Indonesia’s West Papua closed their local airport for “security measures” as reported by the National Antara News Agency.

Indonesia lies on the geological area called the pacific “ring of fire” where earthquakes and eruptions are frequent due to tectonic plates.

In 2004, Indonesia was hit by the largest tsunami recorded in history when a sea earthquake occurred and caused it. The height of the tsunami waves came up to 30 metres a wave which eradicated many small Indonesian islands.

for more information about the tsunami, please press here

Carabinieri sweeps out Mafia

soraiazohdi — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 17:11:40 +0000

Carabinieri carried out a major and largest anti-mafia operation in Sicily and Tuscany where almost 100 people were arrested.

The carabinieri, backed by helicopters and over 1,200 police officers, arrested scores of people, some of them were mobsters that are suspected of trying to rebuild the ranks of the Sicily Mafia.

Francesco Messineo, Palermo’s head prosecutor, said this operation was of vital importance as it had stopped the re-ranking of the mafia’s leadership. The operation has been on-going for almost nine months and several wire tapes.

Messino said this gave the possibility to the police officers to listen, live to the true intentions of the mafia members.

Mobsters are charged of mafia association, drug dealing as well as arms trafficking and extortion.

Investigators concluded that the mafia operation was the brainchild of Matteo Messina Denaro, one of the most powerful godfathers.

Messina Denaro, is considerate top candidate to the replace the boss of bosses Bernando Provenzano that was arrested in 2006. Since Provenzano arrest the mafia’s hierarchy has been in disarray.

By Soraia Zohdi

Iraq, journalist throws shoes at Bush.

soraiazohdi — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 16:53:52 +0000

On Sunday’s news conference in Baghdad a man identified as an Iraqi journalist has thrown his shoes at the president Bush, missing him, while bush was making his farewell visit.

The shoes where ducked and one at the time passed over the president head, during the news conference held in Prime Minister’s Nuri al-Maliki palace in the heavily fortified Green Zone.

The Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi with Egypt-based al-Baghdadia television network was heard as yelling “This is a farewell…you dog” in Arabic while throwing the shoes. And while he was hold to the ground by the security “You killed the Iraqis”

While Al Zaidi was carried away Bush made light the incident and was quoted as saying “That was a size 10 shoe he threw at me, you may want to know.” The throwing of shoes at someone is considerate as insult in most Arab countries.

Al Zaidi is now held in custody and tested for alcohol and drugs to test whether he was fully conscious while Iraqi juridical system will decide whether he will be charged for assaulting Al-Maliki.

Bush’s final deduction of the incident was “It’s one way to gain attention. It’s like going to a political rally and having people yell at you. It’s like driving down the street and having people not gesturing with all five fingers. …”

He also added that other journalists were very apologetic for the incident and, Bush continued, it does not represent Iraqi people.

“But that’s what happens in free societies where people try to draw attention to themselves.” He concluded.

The white house has said that Bush’s trip to Iraq was to celebrate the end of the security pact, named the Strategic Framework Agreement and the Status of Forces Agreement.

The pact that both presidents were preparing to sign, while on conference replace a U.N. mandate for the U.S. presence in Iraq that will expires at the end of this year.

The agreement was reached after negotiations has set June 30, 2009, as the deadline for U.S. combat troops to withdraw from all Iraqi cities and towns while the date for all other U.S. troops to leave Iraq is December 31, 2011.

By Soraia Zohdi.