Tunisia: a 'wake-up call' for Arab leaders By Charlene Gubash By Charlene Gubash, NBC News Producer SOURCE: MSNBC.COM CAIRO – Four months of rioting brought down one of the most authoritarian leaders in the Arab world, Tunisian President Zine al-Abedine Ben Ali, Friday. And many – from Arab analysts to average citizens – believe this may mark a turning point in the Arab World. After two decades of unaccountable leadership, Tunisians suffered from an increasingly unbearable degree of poverty, unemployment, widespread corruption and injustice at the hands of the powerful state security. On Friday they showed the world they’d had enough. But, unfortunately, their plight is a common one shared by the majority of citizens across the Arab world. Many in the region stayed glued to satellite channels Friday watching as Tunisian riot police beat and kicked demonstrators and shot tear gas canisters into crowds. They watched as injured demonstrators were carried away by their colleagues, as the prime minister announced that Ben Ali was no longer in power, and as anchors tried to determine exactly where Ben Ali had fled. And many viewers outside Tunisia pondered what lessons their leaders took away. “I think it has made governments around the region aware that uprising and revolution can happen in the world. It is a wake-up call for some. Definitely after what happened in Tunisia, things will not be the same as before,” Gamal Abdel Gawad, senior analyst at the al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo. “There are many similar countries among non-oil producers, with a lack of democracy and a lack of civil institutions. After Tunisia, perhaps, we will be seeing a different Arab world on the side of the government and people.” Gawad pointed out that the coverage of the government’s overthrow was unprecedented. “The last time this happened was in 1985 when the Sudanese overthrew Numeiri and then there was no satellite TV. This is the first upheaval of that sort watched around the clock instantly by everybody in the region, and its impact will be felt.” A Cairo University political science professor, Dr. Horeya Megahed, agreed. “This might give a lesson to other governments. They might absorb the problems of the people and respond to them.” However, Hani Sabah, an Egyptian technician, could not imagine a similar reaction in his own country. “The oppression the Tunisians faced was so much pressure that it made them explode and do what they did. They suffered from unemployment and high prices,” said Sabah. “But it would be hard for that to happen here with the president and his gang around him…The government’s attitude is: say whatever you want and we will do whatever we want.” Sabah doesn’t anticipate a people's rebellion in Egypt. “Everybody wants to change the system, but the government right now is completely protected … They will shoot at [protesters] with live ammunition. If they are planning to overthrow the government, they will finish them off.” Aly Ibrahim, a Cairo plumber, was glued to the TV on Friday and surfed channels to catch the latest developments. “The Egyptian news broadcast only a fraction of the story for fear people might get the message. Be sure that so many other countries will get the message and will say, ‘These people managed to do that.’ … The message people got is, ‘Enough is enough!’ They see prices rising, problems in society, and nobody is moving a finger.” SOURCE: MSNBC.COM

LayZie G.;687554 wrote: ^I didn't know Ethiopia or Somalia was an arab state? Did anybody bother to read the title of the thread? Did Sanka bother to correct the title? What does tunisia's political turmoil have to do with the next "arab state collapse"? Do any of you know what maghreb means? Lets get the basics straight people, basics@kamaavi. PS: I blame JULIAN ASSANGE for the latest news....he should get the electric chair for this latest fiasco Lazie ma anigay ila hadlaysaa mise Kamaavi? :confused:

The First WikiLeaks Revolution? Posted By Elizabeth Dickinson Thursday, January 13, 2011 - 6:17 PM Tunisians didn't need any more reasons to protest when they took to the streets these past weeks -- food prices were rising, corruption was rampant, and unemployment was staggering. But we might also count Tunisia as the first time that WikiLeaks pushed people over the brink. These protests are also about the country's utter lack of freedom of expression -- including when it comes to WikiLeaks. Tunisia's government doesn't exactly get a flattering portrayal in the leaked State Department cables. The country's ruling family is described as "The Family" -- a mafia-esque elite who have their hands in every cookie jar in the entire economy. "President Ben Ali is aging, his regime is sclerotic and there is no clear successor," a June 2009 cable reads. And to this kleptocracy there is no recourse; one June 2008 cable claims: "persistent rumors of corruption, coupled with rising inflation and continued unemployment, have helped to fuel frustration with the GOT [government of Tunisia] and have contributed to recent protests in southwestern Tunisia. With those at the top believed to be the worst offenders, and likely to remain in power, there are no checks in the system." Of course, Tunisians didn't need anyone to tell them this. But the details noted in the cables -- for example, the fact that the first lady may have made massive profits off a private school -- stirred things up. Matters got worse, not better (as surely the government hoped), when WikiLeaks was blocked by the authorities and started seeking out dissidents and activists on social networking sites. As PayPal and Amazon learned last year, WikiLeaks' supporters don't take kindly to being denied access to the Internet. And the hacking network Anonymous launched an operation, OpTunisia, against government sites "as long as the Tunisian government keep acting the way they do," an Anonymous member told the Financial Times. As in the recent so-called "Twitter Revolutions" in Moldova and Iran, there was clearly lots wrong with Tunisia before Julian Assange ever got hold of the diplomatic cables. Rather, WikiLeaks acted as a catalyst: both a trigger and a tool for political outcry. Which is probably the best compliment one could give the whistle-blower site. http://wikileaks.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/01/13/wikileaks_and_the_tunisia_protests

Unconfirmed reports are coming out that the dictator has fled. Hundreds of thousands of Tunisians took to the street and many of them died in the process of trying to oust him. Dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was facing his toughest challenge yet in 23 years of repressive rule, AP says. http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/tunisian-pm-assumes-power-802911.html

This is the story of redemption. A golden voice indeed.

Watch Video Below A blood test that detects a single cancer cell among billions of healthy ones is to be trialled in hospitals. Described by its inventors as a "liquid biopsy", the test could have a huge impact on cancer care. Doctors at four big cancer centres in the US initially want to use it to help them predict the best way to treat a patient's cancer, and to rapidly discover whether that treatment is working. Massachusetts General Hospital cancer centre chief Dr Daniel Haber, one of the test's inventors, said: "If you could find out quickly, 'this drug is working, stay on it,' or 'this drug is not working, try something else,' that would be huge." Scientists believe stray cancerous cells in the blood can indicate a tumour has spread to other parts of the body, or is likely to. The test could reduce the need for painful tissue sampling and speed up treatment for patients, who at the moment often have to wait vital months for a CT scan to see if their tumour is shrinking. One of the hospitals chosen to start trials this year is New York's Memorial Sloan-Kettering Centre. Its head of lung cancer treatment Dr Mark Kris said: "There's a lot of potential here, and that's why there's a lot of excitement." The test works by using a microchip covered in 78,000 tiny posts, like bristles on a toothbrush. Each post is coated in antibodies that stick to cancer cells when blood is forced over the chip. A stain makes them glow so researchers can count and capture them. Ultimately doctors think the test may offer another way to screen for cancer, alongside techniques like mammograms and colonoscopies. Drugs company Johnson and Johnson has announced that it has joined forces with the test's inventors to try to improve the microchip and develop it for mass production. The most similar test available on the market today costs over £100. Although the development of the new test is expected to take years, if it is approved for use it could become available for use by British doctors in the NHS. http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Blood-Test-That-Could-Detect-Single-Cancer-Cell-Among-Billions-Of-Healthy-Ones-To-Be-Trialled/Article/201101115879000?lpos=World_News_Second_Home_Page_Article_Teaser_Region_3&lid=ARTICLE_15879000_Blood_Test_That_Could_Detect_Single_Cancer_Cell_Among_Billions_Of_Healthy_Ones_To_Be_Trialled

In the past, Tarzan has been accused of making inflammatory, clannish statements against certain segments of the Somali populace. It is a good development that he is now making public statements intended to bring people together. I have always said unity is only few goodwill gestures away.

Love the coral reefs. Great stuff.

Ilaahay ha u naxariisto marxuumka. Gacan ka xaq daran ayaa dishay.

.Now had I known the figures from Duke's study I'd have assumed the brother was Puntlander and I'd have ignored him, but no I didn't ignored the brother neither did he ignored me. Brother STOIC, would you kindly clarify what you mean by the above statement? I don't think it is appropriate for me to speculate your thoughts here.

lool@Nuune. I noticed the interviewer has Northern accent. Toloow ma Godane laftigiisii baa?

Kheyr, barwaaqo iyo bashbash for you all Insha Allah for another 365 days. Aaamiin.

^^They are just teasing you awoowe, e calm down Xaaji. Yes anyone can post any news they find interesting. It is important we all keep each other updated on these forums. It is another reason why we come here. As for the topic, I must say I didn't expect Godane to speak so soon considering all previous reports highlighting how his tenure was on the verge of being terminated. I did try to find a hint of attacks directed against his "rival" shangoole and I don't see any in that statement. We shall see!

Welcome Humming Bird. According to a note I just received, nomad Abtigiis loves you back.

^^ Cara, waan dhallinyaraynayaaye sow uma jeedid. vampire!!! I just found the brilliant graphics cool.

Nomads, let us be little nice to new members and let them ask their burning questions. This community offers them that anonymity. It is the whole point of being here.

TED is good but I find RSA more interesting, specially RSA Animate

Here is my peculiar pick. a cover by Sia

lool. Sheekadii ma waxay maraysaa "war ardayda kala cesha". Waryaa AT&T, odayaashu way ku fahmayaane, sowdigan dhalinyaradii ka waalay. :) On a serious note, no negetive comments I could trace in the system. Gobonimodoonoow, you had me concerned as I rushed to find out the person behind the negative comment. There is none I could see. It is a system glitch at this point and it shall be solved awoowe. I am still investigating but the fact that Moh is deleted makes it more difficult. It could be due to the merger.

Also check your user notes.

NGONGE, check your profile and click on the "visitor messages" tab. hehehe.

This must be a big coup for Al-Shabaab as far as propaganda is concerned.

AT&T (if you really are him), your username is one private message away. Just login to the old forum here http://www.somaliaonline.com/cgi-bin/community/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi and send a pm to Admin. still laughing at how you voted for yourself. I made the poll public on purpose. lool. Tuug la qabtay talo maleh.

lool. Awoowe, did you click the linkÉ

OZ, awoowe, we merged all the threads that were talking about the new SOL into one thread. But I am not sure how your comment separated from your group. It seems the merge is post time sensitive.