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Global Dispatches From ABC News Reporters

ABC News staff around the world report on what makes the news and what doesn't.

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Arab League Meets to Discuss Gaza

December 31, 2008 9:35 AM

By LAMA HASAN, ABC News Cairo

Foreign ministers from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Syria were present at the Arab league meeting today in Cairo to discuss the Gaza crisis. The meeting covered familiar ground, including harsh condemnation of Israel.

Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa urged Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to take the matter to the U.N. Security Council and demand a halt to the Israeli airstrikes, even if it risks a veto. He told Abbas that the league would back him.

One interesting point to note: Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal discussed the need for a Palestinian national unity government. He said that had such a government been in place, a "massacre" would not be taking place right now.

So will the meeting generate any change in Gaza? One of the journalists I spoke to said that it was unlikely. She remarked that it had taken the Arab League five days to finally meet since the strikes had started and after nearly 400 Palestinians had been killed.

The meeting therefore could be just a show for the people on Arab streets, to make them feel that their leaders are trying to do something about the situation when in reality nothing may come of it.

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December 31, 2008 in Lama Hasan | Permalink | User Comments (14) | TrackBack (0)

Are Indian Troops Moving Toward Border?

December 30, 2008 9:45 AM

By NICK SCHIFRIN, ABC News Digital Reporter, Islamabad

Today Pakistan’s foreign minister made a rare televised address, accusing India of moving its troops toward the border and asking the Indian military to relax its posture as a goodwill gesture.

A military official said Monday that Pakistan had moved troops to reinforce forward positions toward the border to the point where they could be called up within 12 hours. The Indians, according to the Press Trust of India (PTI), the country's best news agency, have done something similar, and recently told their three service chiefs that they couldn’t take leave.

The Pakistani foreign minister did not make any promises about Pakistani troops if India moved its troops back.

Basically, both countries are moving troops toward the border but not to the border.

As PTI put it: "The effort is to maintain a more alert posture without causing undue alarm in Western capitals -- so that the time taken for full operational readiness is reduced to a minimum."

But Indian Foreign Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee denied any such moves today, and in general the momentum in the last few days has been toward a relaxation of tensions. As a goodwill gesture, India today is releasing across the Wagah border about 60 Pakistanis who had been held in Indian jails.

U.K. Knife Crime at Its Highest in 3 Decades

December 29, 2008 12:50 PM

By LAMA HASAN, Correspondent, ABC News London

We’ve always known that knife crime in the U.K. has been on the rise and a serious problem for the authorities who’ve struggled to contain it. It has taken over terrorism as the Metropolitan Police’s No. 1 priority.

But we didn’t know the full extent of knife crime until today. The U.K.'s opposition party, which is the Conservative Party, released some sobering facts and figures that say knife-related killings have soared to a record high, the highest in three decades.

According to police figures obtained under the freedom of information laws by the Conservative Party there have been 277 homicides from knives or sharp instruments -- that’s five people being killed a week, in the past year.

Among the victims was 18-year-old actor Rob Knox. He acted alongside Daniel Radcliffe in ‘’Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.’’ Knox was killed trying to defend his younger brother after a fight broke out and then continued outside a bar. Knox died from stab wounds.

The Conservatives argue that under the current Labor government leadership, the U.K. has failed to tackle the underlying causes of crime, such as drugs, family breakdown and gang culture.

James Brokenshire, a Conservative spokesman, said, “Knife crime is a scourge which claims too many lives and ruins countless others. Yet under Labor it has soared. The government’s only response is short-term, ad hoc police operations, the results of which they spin and manipulate anyway to try to get a good story.”

The woman in charge of making Britain a safer place is Home Affairs Secretary Jacqui Smith, who recently admitted she didn’t feel safe walking in her neighborhood alone at night. Earlier this month, she had to apologize for misquoting figures that suggested the number of stabbings and teenagers carrying weapons were on the decrease. Smith came under criticism from the head of the government watchdog, the U.K. Statistics Authority, saying the data released was "premature, irregular and selective."

What’s the government doing about it? It has started a 6.5 million dollar program that is designed to target 10 areas deemed problematic in the U.K. This includes more stop-and-search operations and airport-style security at some subway stations.

Coinciding with these new figures today, the government is beginning to talk tough and act tough. New legislation was announced that says people caught carrying knives are to face tougher punishments, such as doing at least 18 hours of community work a week, and will be subject to curfews. A little more humiliating perhaps is that criminals will be expected to wear high-visibility orange jackets bearing the words “community payback” when they are doing their work. These sanctions will come into play next week.

But the Conservatives say it’s still not enough. They are putting the onus on the Labor government and want more to be done to slash knife crimes in the country.

Crackdown in Tibet Continues

December 29, 2008 9:42 AM

By BETH LOYD by ABC News Beijing

Some 59 people have recently been detained in Tibet and accused of “spreading rumors” and selling “reactionary music,” according to a report in the China Tibet News, a state-run publication. March 10, 2009, marks the 50th anniversary of the exile of the Dalai Lama to India and one year of deadly protests in Tibet, protests that triggered a massive crackdown by the Chinese government in which, according to exile groups, 140 people were killed and 1,000 were detained. China fears that this year will bring more protests.

The report in the China Tibet News said that police officers have found 48 cases of “rumor spreading” since the March protests ("rumor spreading" is code for anti-government or pro-Dalai Lama expression ). Xin Yuanming, the deputy chief of the Lhasa public security bureau said authorities had cracked down on the downloading and selling of music it called “reactionary.”

Xin said that these “illegal activities” were instigated by the Dalai Lama and that the “rumors” were aimed at inciting ethnic tension in Tibet. The Dalai Lama maintains that he does not support violence or the overthrowing of Chinese rule. He said he supports greater autonomy for the region.

The report contained no further information about the charges or possible sentences that would be handed down if the accused are found guilty. Critics charge that China is using these trumped-up charges to detain people they believe could be involved in further protests.

Last month, state-run media reported that 55 people were sentenced in connection with the riots in March but did not give any further information about the allegations or sentences.

The Chinese government said that Tibet has been a part of its territory for more than seven centuries and has called the Dalai Lama, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, “evil.” Frequent anti-Dalai Lama editorials cover the pages of Chinese newspapers. The most recent commentary posted in the English language state-run China Daily is titled “Dalai Lama’s Nexus With Extremists.” It calls him a “separatist” and links him to Nazism and the Aum Doomsday cult.

Beijing gets very upset when world leaders meet with the Dalai Lama. In November, they canceled a Sino-European Union summit after French President Nicolas Sarkozy met with the spiritual leader.

Representatives of the Dalai Lama have met with Chinese officials several times in Beijing, but nothing has ever come of their talks. The Dalai Lama recently expressed his frustration at the lack of progress and suggested that it’s time for him to retire from leading the movement. Many members of the next generation within the Tibetan Youth Congress don’t support the Dalai Lama’s “middle way” approach. They support a stronger, more offensive stance.

When March 10 rolls around, all eyes will once again be on Tibet.

Pakistan: No Orders for Troops to Move East

December 26, 2008 12:57 PM

By NICK SCHIFRIN and HABIBULLAH KHAN, ABC News Islamabad

Pakistani defense officials tell ABC News that an Associated Press report claiming 20,000 troops are moving from Pakistan's western border to the eastern border with India is not correct.

They claim that the military is undergoing regular, scheduled rotations, and that if an AP reporter saw trucks moving out of a tribal area, those troops were on a scheduled rotation, and not acting under new orders.

But as we reported a few days back, the Pakistani military is moving relatively small amounts of troops around to reinforce its border with India.

Some troops have been skimmed from the ongoing operation in Swat to go to the east, officials tell us. Some troops scheduled to go to the Northwest Frontier Province to fight the Taliban from the Punjab province in the east have been told to stay where they are. And the military has cancelled any scheduled leaves for all troops.

The air force is on high alert, and pilots are in their combat gear 24/7, officials say.

Neither government wants war but tension has increased considerably between the two nuclear armed countries that have fought three wars.

As Samina Ahmed, the International Crisis Group's Pakistan country director, puts it: "The potential for this particular situation turning more serious cannot be underestimated."

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December 26, 2008 in Nick Schifrin | Permalink | User Comments (42) | TrackBack (0)

How Life Has Changed for Iraq's Christians

December 26, 2008 9:37 AM

By MIKE GUDGELL, Bureau Chief, ABC News Baghdad

They were shot, kidnapped and chased from their homes. Their churches were bombed and dismantled—often brick by brick. In a country where death and despair are commonplace the Christian population has especially suffered.

They are vulnerable. There is no strong militia or armed force to protect them. Many have fled the country, moved to the more tolerant north or hid in their homes. Most were afraid to worship or even reveal their faith.

This week many Christians in Iraq openly celebrated Christmas for the first time in years. The Iraqi Government declared a holiday—a first in modern times. It’s still a dangerous place for Christians but some see this holiday season as a sign of change in Iraq.

“We hope that the celebration of the Birth of Jesus Christ this year is a point of change for our country,” said Father Waseem to his congregation at the Our Lady the Savior Cathedral in Baghdad, “let’s pray to our Father to spread love and tranquility.”

There are overwhelming statistics documenting the decrease in violence. Numbers, however, don’t change behavior or have a lasting effect on perception. They don’t tell the whole story. It’s the small things that add up. The military calls it “atmospherics,” the anecdotal experiences that tell us that living here is different.

As journalists we see more than we’d like. It comes with the territory. There are faces of despair and anguish that refuse to fade. When I saw the face of Nadia, a young Iraqi woman who had just attended Father Waseem’s service, it was a very different image from those of the past. You could feel her happiness and relief. “I cannot describe how happy I am this year,” she told us.

This week I flew to southern Iraq in an Army helicopter. The last time I took a similar trip all I could see were abandoned farms, pock marked cratered roads and burning homes or vehicles.

I expected to see the same when we took off from a base near Baghdad. We flew first over the Tigris-Euphrates valley, one of the most fertile areas in the Middle East. This time the sun reflected off neat and orderly fields — irrigated and green. Long lines of hot house growing sheds dotted many farms. As we moved further south I could see shepherds with flocks of sheep and long lines of camels. Trucks and cars moved down the main highway. It was a change, a big change.

Every time I come to Iraq, five or six times a year, I see small differences. The airport used to be part chaos-part order. Human excrement littered the parking garage. The short road to Baghdad was one of the most dangerous pieces of asphalt in the country. The last time I arrived a new terminal had opened. The road has been cleared, the shoulders leveled and cleaned and the median has been groomed and planted with grass.

Further into Baghdad there’s a small turn around just outside the green zone on the way to the ABC News Bureau. The first time I saw this area it was a mud hole. The street and sidewalks were torn up. The blast walls along the edge of the check point were pock marked with shrapnel from a road side bomb that had damaged a Stryker armored vehicle. A year ago I noticed neat stacks of bricks on the sidewalk. The next time, to my surprise, they were still there. I expected they would be stolen. That last trip here they had been laid into the side walk. This time the street was paved.

Perhaps a simple church service, the smile of an Iraqi, neat rows of farms or a paved street mean nothing. Then again, maybe they are everything. It makes me wonder how Nadia will look next Christmas.

Mazin Faiq contributed to this blog.

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December 26, 2008 in Mike Gudgell | Permalink | User Comments (16) | TrackBack (0)

Pope Appeals for Peace in Middle East

December 25, 2008 8:15 AM

By LAMA HASAN, Correspondent, ABC News London

Overlooking St. Peter’s square, Pope Benedict the XVI delivered his traditional "urbi et orbi" speech, Latin for "to the city and to the world." In more than 60 different languages, the pope wished the faithful a happy Christmas.

Addressing the crowd, the pope said the "heart of the Christian message is meant for all men and women." The pontiff warned that the world was headed toward ruin if selfishness prevailed over solidarity during tough economic times for both rich and poor nations, saying, "If people look only to their own interests, our world will certainly fall apart."

The pope also spoke of the plight of Zimbabweans who he said were "trapped ... in a political and social crisis".

Celebrations began on Christmas Eve. As darkness fell, the head of the Catholic Church appeared at his studio window to light a candle, a symbol of peace.

That was followed by a midnight mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, where thousands of worshippers listened to the pope’s homily.

Appealing for children who are abused, forced to live on the street or serve as soldiers, the pope said we must put an end to their suffering.

"Let us think of those street children who do not have the blessing of a family home, of those children who are brutally exploited as soldiers and made instruments of violence instead of messengers of reconciliation and peace," he said.

"Let us think of those children who are victims of the industry of pornography and every other appalling form of abuse, and thus are traumatized to the depths of their soul."

He also made a plea for peace in the land where the faithful believe Jesus Christ was born, the holy land, a land marred by decades of violence.

He called for an end to hatred and violence in the Middle East. The pope said, "Let us think of the place named Bethlehem, of the land in which Jesus lived, and which he loved so deeply. … Let us pray that peace will be established there."

As the pontiff was leaving St Peter’s, a pilgrim leaped toward him but was quickly ushered away by a security guard.

In the traditional birthplace of Jesus, Bethlehem, a midnight mass at the Church of the Nativity gathered people from different faiths, including dignitaries and tourists. All were united in prayer.

In Manger Square the festivities continued into the night, with people dancing in the streets.

In a land divided by violence, on this Christmas Day, perhaps there’s new hope for a peaceful new year.

December 25, 2008 in Lama Hasan | Permalink | User Comments (7) | TrackBack (0)

The World's Most High-Tech Nation

December 24, 2008 9:40 AM

By JOOHEE CHO, Digital Reporter, ABC News Seoul

If there ever is an "Easy Tech Adaptation for Dummies" book, I’d be the first one to grab it. Living in the most wired country in the world is quite a struggle for people with technology phobia like me. I’m not talking new gadgets or software that are released every few months or years. I’m talking almost every day learning how to use new functions on my mobile phone or keeping up to date with new ways to communicate.

Today, I joined the tech-savvy generation’s new thing: T-mobile money, only to find myself all frustrated because the whole concept is too good to be true and way too complex. It is a prepaid smart card that is embedded into your mobile’s SIM card, which works as a wallet, navigator or personalized weather forecaster. It even tells you how crowded -- not with car traffic but with human traffic -- certain places are so that you can avoid holiday shopping at those spots!

My new quest started when I encountered the Salvation Army last week. Next to the traditional red kettle with bell-ringing Santa-costumed volunteers, Korean Salvation Army showcased the new "digital donation screens" for which you simply flash your mobile phone onto a screen. It remotely deducts 80 cents from your T-money, so no more excuses for having no change in the pocket to spare for the poor. As I stood there watching, the generation gap was clear. The older ones dropped cash into the kettle; the younger ones proudly walked up and flashed their mobile phones. I certainly did not want to place myself in the former category.

Then I realized having ignored all those aggressive advertisements everywhere in the city on T-money, T-life, T-story, T-service, T-whatever...that, with a mobile phone market penetration rate of 93.6 percent as of last month, the big T was surely embedded into every aspect of Koreans’ daily lives.

As I get in the elevator every morning to work, three things I habitually double check in the bag are my two mobile phones – one for private use and the other for work – and my BlackBerry used only for internal ABC News e-mail. And now with the T-mobile money installed, those are all I need to get through the day.

For taxis, tolls, parking fees, theater tickets, and even a cup of tea at convenient stores, I simply flash my mobile phone onto the T-money counter.

Searching for a restaurant, SK Communications’ portal service Nate lists five popular Italian bistros within a certain range of a designated neighborhood, complete with reviews and sometimes menus on my mobile screen.

T-service then turns into a navigator. You can even specify whether you’re driving, taking the subway or walking. It will navigate you accordingly, avoiding crowded routes.

To pay bills or transfer funds, I also use the mobile service that directly links into my Shinhan Bank system. The tiny screen shows the status of the foreign exchange rate that has been so volatile since the financial crisis. At the click of a button on my phone, I can sell dollars right when the Korean won seems to be at the bottom.

Same goes with trading stocks on the mobile phone. One of my golfing buddies does that out in the field while checking distance to the pin, also calculated by his mobile golf service.

At a hospital waiting room the other day, I met a girl in her teen’s intently watching a music video of the latest hit song "Nobody" on her phone, over and over again. She was memorizing the moves, but it was too difficult. She grumbled, then downloaded a how-to choreography video program in less than 30 seconds.

Personally, I find the best use of my mobile is as a portable TV. I can watch all the terrestrial networks on the 2x1.6-inch screen with clear digital quality, anywhere in the city and even on the highways.

Soon to debut on the market early next year is the new digital vending machine that lets you can download a two-hour movie or an episode of "Desperate Housewives" in 10 seconds on the mobile phone.

All this is possible because Korea is considered a world leader in 3G mobile technology. At 95 percent, its broadband penetration in homes, including wireless broadband, is the world’s highest. Japan and Finland follow the lead, and at 57 percent, the United States ranks 15th.

An Iranian Opposition Inside Iraq

December 22, 2008 12:25 PM

By MIKE GUDGELL, Bureau Chief, ABC News Baghdad

The fate of more than 4,000 members of an Iranian opposition group living inside Iraq is now uncertain.

Most live in the city of Ashraf, north of Baghdad. It’s an oasis in the middle of chaos. It’s a clean, “green” city with broad streets, fountains and bustling markets. Ashraf is a place that works. It’s safe and women hold important positions in a democratic form of government. It is an Iranian city inside one of the most violent areas of Iraq.

The People’s Mujahadeen of Iran once had the support of Saddam Hussein. The MEK, the military force, fought against Iran in the long war between Iraq and Iran. Now the PMOI works to limit Iranian influence in Iraq and ultimately wants a democratic government in Iran that is “based on the goals and decisions of the Iranian people.” A representative told ABC News that the PMOI is the “best alternative for change in Iran.”

The friend of our friend’s enemy is our friend.

The Iraqi government has close ties to Iran and has repeatedly demanded that the anti-Iranian group leave Iraq. The government issued a statement today saying, “Staying in Iraq is not an option for them.” The U.S. government may share the goal of the PMOI but, like many countries, it has officially put the PMOI on a “terrorist” organization list. The United States can’t officially support a terrorist group even if it is dedicated to opposing the Iranian government.

The PMOI or MEK has an extensive web of informants in Iran. “The fact is we learned about the Iranian nuclear program at an MEK press conference,” said Congressman Brad Sherman. He’s working to start a process to review the group’s terrorist label.

The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad would not comment on the problem but a source familiar with the situation called it a “multilayered life and death dilemma.” U.S. soldiers guard Ashraf but are preparing to turn the area over to Iraqi security forces.

December 22, 2008 in Mike Gudgell | Permalink | User Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)

Obama: The New Face of Tanning Salons Across Russia?

December 22, 2008 10:34 AM

By CLARISSA WARD, Correspondent, ABC News Moscow

The whole world cringed when Italian President Silvio Berlusconi congratulated President-elect Obama on his victory, describing him as “young, handsome and tanned.” People marveled that anyone, let alone a world leader, could make such a gauche comment in this era of extreme political correctness.

Here in Russia though, advertising companies took the ball and ran with it. A new publicity campaign for the Network of Tanning Studios features a photograph of a smiling Obama set against an orange background. Fliers for the tanning salon have been handed out at restaurants, cafes and shopping malls across Moscow.

In an interview with a Russian Web site, the Network of Tanning Studios said it was trying to capitalize on Obama’s positive image and the message he sent that people with dark skin could be very successful.

The Network of Tanning Studios is not the only business here cashing in on Obama’s image. Fliers for the Russian-American Dental Clinic are being distributed at metro stations across the capital. The leaflets are done in red, white and blue and feature a photograph, once again, of a beaming Obama. The writing promises “complete dental democracy,” whatever that means.

On the streets of Moscow, people seem to have mixed reactions to the fliers. One man told ABC News he thought it was a clever advertising gimmick. Another taxi driver said he thought it was awful and thoroughly offensive.

In a certain sense one has to take their hat off to the enterprise of Russian advertisers. Obama is certainly one of the most famous men in the world and this election has been one of the most closely watched in recent history. In Serbia, a fashion designer also used Obama’s near universal recognition to promote a men’s clothing collection. But in another sense, the advertisements are an embarrassment for Russia and do little to help this country’s reputation as a country that is intolerant of and insensitive to other races and ethnicities.

For the Network of Tanning Studios and the Russian-American Dental Clinic one thing is for sure: They are certainly getting people’s attention.