It was an empire that took four decades to reach the epitome of power and might. it was whispered that the broker at the head of the empire was a kingmaker indeed, he had untold influence that went beyond the borders of his vast media empire, But then like the colossus that he is known to be Rupert Murdoch and his news empire is in free fall at the moment.
When I wrote Retributive Justice - Storm on the horizon of News International, on my blog in January it all seemed so far-fetched and distant that anything or anyone will be able to scratch the surface of the powerful conglomerate that we know as News International. But of recent that all seems to have changed. Somehow the storm has finally broken over the empire and it is echoing beyond the empire in terms of collateral damage.
Being a bit more specific, lets take stock of has has happened so far. We have had the News of the World on of the most powerful and feared weekend tabloids close after 168 years in existence and most of its staff hung out to dry. Even the ultra powerful protege of Rupert Murdoch, Rebekah Brooks after rubbing in the fact that News Of theWorld staff were out of a job but she wasn't, had to bow to overwhelming pressure of the snowballing Phone Hacking Scandal as it is know popularly being known and resign. Collateral damage as I earlier mentioned has of late been the top two police officers in the Metropolitan Police, Sir Paul Stephenson and his deputy John Yates have had to resign because their roles in the Force have been compromised by their proximity to the Murdoch empire.
The Murdochs have had to attend a Parliamentary hearing into the scandal and there is going to be judicial inquiry into the Scandal, not to limit issues to this side of the Atlantic, our cousins across the water are taking it rather badly as well since they have discovered that phones of victims of the 9/11 tragedy were also allegedly hacked into, not making the Murdochs very well thought of in their adopted home.
And with the wounded of the Murdoch empire baying for blood it can be said that this is only the very beginning of storm we do not know what state this empire will be in by the time it is over. One thing is sure it has seen its best and brightest day over the last forty year when it stood seemingly tall and untouchable.
Monday, 25 July 2011
Friday, 6 May 2011
The World without Osama Bin Laden - A safer place?
So it comes to an end finally. It has been confirmed and now days on the world is getting use to the feeling of the world where Osama Bin Laden is no longer one of its living occupants. Justified in as many ways possible by evidence of all the horrific terror acts that he committed past, present and possibly future from information recovered at the scene of his demise.
I remember somewhere along the line a very long time ago that some important government official somewhere said on camera that the world would be a safer place when we are rid of the likes of Osama. Looking at what is following in the wake of his death, I do not see any single government going on to believe that we can sleep safer in our beds at night with the thought solidly in mind that he is no more.
In fact most of the nations who actively hunted him down as a fugitive from justice are on very high security alert. With ominous words sounding that we should expect reprisals in some form from his supporters or groups sympathetic to his causes, that is a bit scary when you consider that he single-handedly spawned an entire generation of terrorists who took global terror to a whole new level.
They have become very inventive and adaptable in their urban terror and they are taking the fight to the big security outfits who have out-thought them up-to-date, thereby thwarting almost every major terror attack. The future looks bleak now,with governments now forced to downsize because of the economic recession, valuable resources and assets are being done away with to seek political gain and balance the books so to say.
How safe the world really is will be a question we will keep asking ourselves until we see where the choose to strike next and exactly when and how, one thing I can assure is I don't feel any safer even though Osama is gone, do you?
I remember somewhere along the line a very long time ago that some important government official somewhere said on camera that the world would be a safer place when we are rid of the likes of Osama. Looking at what is following in the wake of his death, I do not see any single government going on to believe that we can sleep safer in our beds at night with the thought solidly in mind that he is no more.
In fact most of the nations who actively hunted him down as a fugitive from justice are on very high security alert. With ominous words sounding that we should expect reprisals in some form from his supporters or groups sympathetic to his causes, that is a bit scary when you consider that he single-handedly spawned an entire generation of terrorists who took global terror to a whole new level.
They have become very inventive and adaptable in their urban terror and they are taking the fight to the big security outfits who have out-thought them up-to-date, thereby thwarting almost every major terror attack. The future looks bleak now,with governments now forced to downsize because of the economic recession, valuable resources and assets are being done away with to seek political gain and balance the books so to say.
How safe the world really is will be a question we will keep asking ourselves until we see where the choose to strike next and exactly when and how, one thing I can assure is I don't feel any safer even though Osama is gone, do you?
Monday, 2 May 2011
Two sides to the Mirror of Terror
Yesterday it was reported to the entire world by the President of the United States of America that the elusive leader of the Al-Queada Movement Worldwide Osama Bin Laden had been located,trapped,caught,captured and eventually after resisting to be taken had been killed and eventually been buried at sea. So comes the end of an era, as so many said that justice had been served for so many who died at Ground Zero almost a decade ago - one side of the mirror.
The Al- Quaeda movement has gone beyond their late mythical leader and of all terrorists groups known in the recent past, the only reason why they are so feared is because of the scale on which they practised their weird art. They brought an entirely new definition to the word Global Terror after initial attacks on diplomatic missions in Africa belonging to the United States they made an eternal statement on 11th September,2001 when they hijacked four local American jetliners and flew two into the World Trade Centre( more specifically one each into the Two Towers). One into the Defence Headquarters the Pentagon and the fourth was crash landed by the passengers onboard who wrestled their captors and made sure that the jetliner did not reach it's destination which was the White House.
That brought the understanding of terror all the way into the 21st century and the War against Terror was born. Unfortunately with the demise of of their fabled leader yesterday one is led to believe true to their reputation they will strike again so looking into the mirror of terror when you believe that one side of it has been smashed we are now going to learn how potent the other side is without the mien of Bin Laden hanging over it.
For every city where he left his terror signature, the security outfits here will not sleep to easy not for any other reason than Osama Bin Laden was very successful in spawning a generation of individuals who might eventually turn out to be a lot more potent than he who has just been eliminated.......... we need to be ready.
The Al- Quaeda movement has gone beyond their late mythical leader and of all terrorists groups known in the recent past, the only reason why they are so feared is because of the scale on which they practised their weird art. They brought an entirely new definition to the word Global Terror after initial attacks on diplomatic missions in Africa belonging to the United States they made an eternal statement on 11th September,2001 when they hijacked four local American jetliners and flew two into the World Trade Centre( more specifically one each into the Two Towers). One into the Defence Headquarters the Pentagon and the fourth was crash landed by the passengers onboard who wrestled their captors and made sure that the jetliner did not reach it's destination which was the White House.
That brought the understanding of terror all the way into the 21st century and the War against Terror was born. Unfortunately with the demise of of their fabled leader yesterday one is led to believe true to their reputation they will strike again so looking into the mirror of terror when you believe that one side of it has been smashed we are now going to learn how potent the other side is without the mien of Bin Laden hanging over it.
For every city where he left his terror signature, the security outfits here will not sleep to easy not for any other reason than Osama Bin Laden was very successful in spawning a generation of individuals who might eventually turn out to be a lot more potent than he who has just been eliminated.......... we need to be ready.
Tuesday, 1 March 2011
The Whirllwind of Revolution - The Aftermath 1 The Refugee Crisis
Looking back at what has swept the North African coast in the last three to four weeks, one wonders at when the phenomenon will finally blow itself out and allow the world to take stock. To quickly review, Tunisia was the first nation to be swallowed in the path of this nation devouring whirlwind. It's people demanded that their president stand down and he ultimately had no choice but to do so. After three weeks of clinging on it was reported that his prime minister resigned yesterday. As Tunisia was crumbling, protests started going off simultaneously in Morocco,Jordan,Libya,Algeria, Bahrain and Egypt. The largest Arabic nation on the planet was the next to catch fire, protesters going head to head with armed soldiers and eventually carrying the day when their sit-in protest in Tahir Square pushed Mr Hosni Mubarak out of power after ruling for 31 years. Like a smooth relay race it became a choice between Bahrain or Libya. The Crown Prince in Bahrain being a more humane individual that most of his fellow rulers decided after clashing with protesters and forcibly using the Armed Forces to eject them from the Square they chose to occupy, heeded. International advice and decided to dialogue with the opposition after allowing them to reclaim the Square from armed occupation.
I guess he decided that he had a lot more to lose if he continued to go head-to-head with popular opinion,not so the most infamous terrorist leader on the planet Colonel Muhammar Ghaddafi who collected the baton from Egypt and almost immediately went on the offensive killing anyone and anything that got in his way. We have been at it for almost two weeks now and it has ballooned into a full grown refugee crisis. The media had live footage of thousands coming through both borders this morning Libyan-Egyptian and Libyan-Tunisian they were of all different nationalities.
Stuck in nation where things are not functioning at 100% because of the turmoil there too that has yet to settle. So it is fast growing into a crisis of which if not looked into soon promises to make breaking news of it's own. Developed nations have been hospitable in evacuating their own nationals alongside any others who needed to leave. But the real question is what happens when all these evacuations cease. The military ships and Hercules C130 planes that stand as a beacon of hope. Make their final trips to Tripoli and Malta? Scary withnthe kind of things we hear happening inside Libya in Gadaffi controlled territory.
The international community is awash with various kind of sanctions from creating trade blockades to enforcing no-fly zones,and they are just as determined that this time Ghadaffi has come to the end of the last of his several lives. This time they are telling him there is no where to. With assets worth £1 billion seized and frozen in the UK alone things are looking bleak for the "Strongman of Libya". The UN have a job to assist the NGO's who are already on the ground helping with the developing refugee crisis. And they need ton move soon.
I guess he decided that he had a lot more to lose if he continued to go head-to-head with popular opinion,not so the most infamous terrorist leader on the planet Colonel Muhammar Ghaddafi who collected the baton from Egypt and almost immediately went on the offensive killing anyone and anything that got in his way. We have been at it for almost two weeks now and it has ballooned into a full grown refugee crisis. The media had live footage of thousands coming through both borders this morning Libyan-Egyptian and Libyan-Tunisian they were of all different nationalities.
Stuck in nation where things are not functioning at 100% because of the turmoil there too that has yet to settle. So it is fast growing into a crisis of which if not looked into soon promises to make breaking news of it's own. Developed nations have been hospitable in evacuating their own nationals alongside any others who needed to leave. But the real question is what happens when all these evacuations cease. The military ships and Hercules C130 planes that stand as a beacon of hope. Make their final trips to Tripoli and Malta? Scary withnthe kind of things we hear happening inside Libya in Gadaffi controlled territory.
The international community is awash with various kind of sanctions from creating trade blockades to enforcing no-fly zones,and they are just as determined that this time Ghadaffi has come to the end of the last of his several lives. This time they are telling him there is no where to. With assets worth £1 billion seized and frozen in the UK alone things are looking bleak for the "Strongman of Libya". The UN have a job to assist the NGO's who are already on the ground helping with the developing refugee crisis. And they need ton move soon.
Thursday, 17 February 2011
The Whirlwind of Democracy - The Bahrain Experience
It started as the next relay after the the Whirlwind of Democracy sweeping the Arab world claimed its first scalp in Tunisia it was overlooked briefly because Egypt one of the known giants was on the edge,it has now become history that last week Hosni Mubarak gave in under immense pressure after over thirty years of iron-fisted rule. From the look of things they are still basking in what is the new found euphoria of what power comes with the realisation of what democracy means literally - people power.
This morning the beginning of the Formula 1 Grand Prix season seems to be under serious threat because of the present political situation unfolding in Bahrain at the moment. It seems that the military unlike their colleagues in Egypt are more intent on killing of as many of their citizens who chose to disobey instructions to stop protests and return home.
Yesterday it was Libya in the news and Col Ghaddafi who undoubtedly holds the record for the longest single rule in Africa was facing down determined protested who too were proving determined in the face of reprisals from law enforcement. It doesn't get any better as the flames of protest sweeping North Africa especially the Arab World do not seem to want to die. Protesters everywhere tasting blood in Tunisia and Egypt believe now the war can be one anywhere if organised,structured and planned properly.
The thing that most of these governments have not planned for is organised protest with the new intervention of Social Media, the twitter and facebook options have been put to unbelievable use in the last two Arab developments. The interesting comment however being made is that no two protests are unfolding in exactly the same way.
Today marks the moment of truth. In the capital three young men's funerals iare going to be attended by individuals protesting their deaths at the hands of the military yesterday. There is the pent-up anger of muslim faithfuls that will spill out onto the streets after Friday prayers. It does'nt look good.
Even though Washington has asked for the government to show restraint, it doesn't look that anybody is ready to listen. Is the Whirlwind of Democracy on the verge of claiming another scalp?
This morning the beginning of the Formula 1 Grand Prix season seems to be under serious threat because of the present political situation unfolding in Bahrain at the moment. It seems that the military unlike their colleagues in Egypt are more intent on killing of as many of their citizens who chose to disobey instructions to stop protests and return home.
Yesterday it was Libya in the news and Col Ghaddafi who undoubtedly holds the record for the longest single rule in Africa was facing down determined protested who too were proving determined in the face of reprisals from law enforcement. It doesn't get any better as the flames of protest sweeping North Africa especially the Arab World do not seem to want to die. Protesters everywhere tasting blood in Tunisia and Egypt believe now the war can be one anywhere if organised,structured and planned properly.
The thing that most of these governments have not planned for is organised protest with the new intervention of Social Media, the twitter and facebook options have been put to unbelievable use in the last two Arab developments. The interesting comment however being made is that no two protests are unfolding in exactly the same way.
Today marks the moment of truth. In the capital three young men's funerals iare going to be attended by individuals protesting their deaths at the hands of the military yesterday. There is the pent-up anger of muslim faithfuls that will spill out onto the streets after Friday prayers. It does'nt look good.
Even though Washington has asked for the government to show restraint, it doesn't look that anybody is ready to listen. Is the Whirlwind of Democracy on the verge of claiming another scalp?
Tuesday, 8 February 2011
Future Political hope vs Daunting Economic reality
I have been taking a careful look at the political landscape in both the United Kingdom and the United States viz-a-viz what they hope to achieve within the ambit of limited economic resources,and to tell the truth it does not look promising.
Mr Obama has been in office for a little over twenty-four months and as much as it seem that he has been able to achieve on the political front the economic reality of the slow recovery from the recession keeps on staring him and his team of economic advisers in the face. I will give him an A+ for his dogged perseverance though.
Across the Atlantic his friend of the "special relationship" Mr Cameron is having it equally as bad he might have pulled a tiny victory from the bankers this morning by putting a permanent tax that is supposed to raise something within the region of an extra two billion pounds towards cutting the deficit. I would give him and his team of economic advisers an A- in what they have been doing to try and turn the economy around.
But when you look at the signs, they do not bode well for either of them. Mr President and Mr Prime Minister both have increasingly growing unemployment figures every month, evidence shows that growth of both economies are slowing down and no wonder too. With the big brother attitude of having to help bail out everyone else who needed help in the Recession.
The only thing these gentlemen need is every ounce of their ability as statesmen to pool economic and political force and somehow pull off the impossible in the next few months. With Strikes,Protests and Demonstrations about everything from wage freezes to proposed tax cuts the next few months are about to become very very interesting.
Mr Obama has been in office for a little over twenty-four months and as much as it seem that he has been able to achieve on the political front the economic reality of the slow recovery from the recession keeps on staring him and his team of economic advisers in the face. I will give him an A+ for his dogged perseverance though.
Across the Atlantic his friend of the "special relationship" Mr Cameron is having it equally as bad he might have pulled a tiny victory from the bankers this morning by putting a permanent tax that is supposed to raise something within the region of an extra two billion pounds towards cutting the deficit. I would give him and his team of economic advisers an A- in what they have been doing to try and turn the economy around.
But when you look at the signs, they do not bode well for either of them. Mr President and Mr Prime Minister both have increasingly growing unemployment figures every month, evidence shows that growth of both economies are slowing down and no wonder too. With the big brother attitude of having to help bail out everyone else who needed help in the Recession.
The only thing these gentlemen need is every ounce of their ability as statesmen to pool economic and political force and somehow pull off the impossible in the next few months. With Strikes,Protests and Demonstrations about everything from wage freezes to proposed tax cuts the next few months are about to become very very interesting.
Monday, 7 February 2011
Confusion in the Ancient Citadel of Knowledge
We enter into the second week of pretexts in Cairo,the capital city of Egypt. The resolve of the people has not dampened one bit. They agree to reforms,they agree to orderly transition of power, but they are sticking to their guns. Mr Hosni Mubarak must leave office. He has resigned his leadership of the ruling party believing that to be enough of a concession to his people to allow him to stay in office until the next elections in September.
Listening to him speak on national television,you begin to wonder wether he is inhabiting the same planet as the people he is suppose to be ruling. Reports claim that at least 300 people have died in the last fortnight. And several hundred have been injured in the ensuing protests. The underlying issue that makes this all so sad is that nothing seems to make sense in Egypt anymore. Since the Army have said that they will not fire on their citizens their role has been reduced to peacekeeping between the factions of pro an anti-Mubarak protester who last weekend turned the Tahir Square into a war zone.
Civil normalcy seemingly returned to the capital today with banks opening and businesses trying to get back to the everyday routine of trading,but the restlessness is still there in the air as the protesters refuse to quit from the Square. They were photographed sleeping between the tracks of tanks occupying the Square just to ascertain that they were not corralled into specific places at the behest of the authorities.
It seems no one has the answers, The international community are asking Mr Mubarak to do the right thing(as if he understands the meaning of the sentence even if it was spelled out to him clearly in egyptian) meeting between the government and the coalition of the opposition have not brought forth anything tangible,yet America is praising Mr Mubarak for the concessions he has made so far(Mrs Clinton I think you need to choose your words a little more carefully). Short of Mr Mubarak leaving the government completely which he says will amount to the whole system collapsing in chaos,I do not see any way forward out of the confusion that has engulfed this ancient citadel of knowledge,so sad.
Listening to him speak on national television,you begin to wonder wether he is inhabiting the same planet as the people he is suppose to be ruling. Reports claim that at least 300 people have died in the last fortnight. And several hundred have been injured in the ensuing protests. The underlying issue that makes this all so sad is that nothing seems to make sense in Egypt anymore. Since the Army have said that they will not fire on their citizens their role has been reduced to peacekeeping between the factions of pro an anti-Mubarak protester who last weekend turned the Tahir Square into a war zone.
Civil normalcy seemingly returned to the capital today with banks opening and businesses trying to get back to the everyday routine of trading,but the restlessness is still there in the air as the protesters refuse to quit from the Square. They were photographed sleeping between the tracks of tanks occupying the Square just to ascertain that they were not corralled into specific places at the behest of the authorities.
It seems no one has the answers, The international community are asking Mr Mubarak to do the right thing(as if he understands the meaning of the sentence even if it was spelled out to him clearly in egyptian) meeting between the government and the coalition of the opposition have not brought forth anything tangible,yet America is praising Mr Mubarak for the concessions he has made so far(Mrs Clinton I think you need to choose your words a little more carefully). Short of Mr Mubarak leaving the government completely which he says will amount to the whole system collapsing in chaos,I do not see any way forward out of the confusion that has engulfed this ancient citadel of knowledge,so sad.
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