FROM ANILNETTO BLOG
Last update: 1:14 p.m. EDT Sept. 18, 2008
To recap, this is what the BioInitiative Report says:
ALBANY, NY, Sep 18, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) -- University at Albany, Institute for Health and the Environment - The European Parliament has voted 522 to 16 to recommend tighter safety standards for cell phones. In light of the growing body of scientific evidence implicating cell phone use with brain tumors, the Parliament says,
"The limits on exposure to electromagnetic fields [EMFs] which have been set for the general public are obsolete."
The European Parliament "is greatly concerned at the Bio-Initiative international report concerning EMFs, which summarises over 1500 studies on that topic and which points in its conclusions to the health risks posed by emissions from mobile-telephony devices such as mobile telephones, UMTS, WiFi, WiMax and Bluetooth, and also DECT landline telephones." Further, it points out the need to "address vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, newborn babies and children."
The Mid-Term Review of the European Environmental and Health Action Plan recommends 36 specific points for improving human health. It points to changes that can improve air and water quality, and reduce exposures to toxic chemicals and EMFs that have been linked to health risks.
BioInitiative author Dr. Martin Blank, Columbia University professor and researcher in bioelectromagnetics says, "Cells in the body react to EMFs as potentially harmful, just like to other environmental toxins such as heavy metals and toxic chemicals. The DNA in living cells recognizes EMFs at very low levels of exposure, and produces a biochemical stress response. The scientific evidence tells us that our safety standards are inadequate, and that we must protect ourselves from exposure to EMFs due to powerlines, cell phones and the like."
Lennart Hardell, MD, PhD and Professor at University Hospital in Orebro, Sweden who wrote on brain tumors and cell phones in the BioInitiative Report, says, "The evidence for risks from prolonged cell phone and cordless phone use is quite strong when you look at people who have used these devices for 10 years or longer, and when they are used mainly on one side of the head." At a conference in London last week, Dr. Hardell noted that exposure to children poses even greater risk than to adults, a fact of concern since so many children now regularly use cell phones.
Noting the already lowered exposure limits of some European countries the EU Parliament is now calling on the EU Council to amend Recommendation 1999/519/EC for all equipment producing emissions in the 0.1 MHz to 300 GHz frequency range. This would include cell phones as well as other wireless devices. Wireless technologies that rely on microwave radiation to send emails and voice communication are thousands of times stronger than levels reported to cause some health impacts.
Reports: Mid-Term Review of the European Environment and Health Action Plan 2004-2010, September 4, 2008
BioInitiative: A Rationale for a Biologically-based Public Exposure Standard for Electromagnetic Fields (ELF and RF) August 31, 2007 Contact:
Dr. David O. Carpenter, M.D., M.P.H.
Director, Institute for Health and the Environment
info@bioinitiative.org
carpent@uamail.albany.edu
SOURCE: The BioInitiative Working Group
FROM ANILNETTO
Southeast Asia
Sep 26, 2008
Anwar plays a waiting game in MalaysiaBy Anil Netto PENANG - Malaysia's political opposition insists its plan to topple Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi's government is still on track, as doubts emerge about the credibility of those claims after it missed two self-set deadlines for ushering in political change. Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim had set September 16, Malaysia's national day, as the deadline for his People's Alliance coalition to take over the federal government through parliamentary defections to his camp.
When that deadline passed, with Anwar claiming he had the required number of parliamentary defections secured, he set a new September 23 deadline for Abdullah to call an emergency sitting of parliament to hold a no-confidence motion he claimed would bring down the government. Abdullah has ridiculed those calls and refused Anwar's request to meet so that the latter can show him a purported list of parliamentarians who have committed to leave the coalition government and join forces with the opposition.
Anwar has repeatedly told the press that his alliance has the minimum 31 defections he needs to secure a simple majority in parliament, though he has declined to reveal the names of the turncoat parliamentarians. The only snag, from his perspective, is that Abdullah will delay reconvening the legislature to debate a no-confidence motion on his rule. The political uncertainty is starting to take a toll on the economy and investor confidence.
Foreign direct investment flows had already turned negative for 2007 for the first time in the country's 50-year history, according to the 2008 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) World Investment Report, released this week. Inflation hit a 27-year high of 8.5% in August, adding fuel to the population's discontent with the United Malays Nasional Organization (UMNO)-led government. Abdullah has repeatedly accused Anwar of causing instability and undermining the economy.
Anwar has countered that the economic problems stem from Abdullah's failure to introduce meaningful economic reforms. Anwar now needs to tread a delicate constitutional line if he wants to avoid giving an already jittery ruling coalition a pretext for striking back through a more forceful crackdown. This month, an opposition politician, a journalist and an anti-government blogger were all detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA), which allows for indefinite detention without trial.
The opposition leader is now believed to have two political options: seek an audience with the Agong, Malaysia's paramount constitutional monarch, or wait for parliament to reconvene as scheduled from its recess on October 13. Finding that his path to power is strewn with obstacles, Anwar has not committed to any new deadlines for a change in government. The state-influenced mainstream media have ridiculed the passing of his previous deadlines and some feel those missed marks have damaged his credibility. Others more sympathetic to the opposition charge point out that it will not be easy to dislodge the UMNO-led coalition, which has held power for 51 years, during which time it has blurred the lines between party and government.
Anwar's proponents say that September 16 heralded the beginning of a political transition that eventually will lead to UMNO's demise. Intra-party turmoilTwo crucial dates now loom: October 9, when regional divisions of UMNO begin to nominate candidates for top party posts that will be up for grabs during the party's December internal elections, and October 13, when parliament is scheduled to reconvene. Under siege within his own party after the ruling coalition suffered a major setback at March general elections and now held responsible for a listless economy, Abdullah finds himself in an increasingly tight political spot. He recently hammered out a transition plan to hand over power to his deputy, Najib Abdul Razak, by 2010.
He has since indicated he could leave earlier, and in an apparent move to appease his deputy he swapped portfolios with him, handing finance to Najib while Abdullah took over defense. Whether the ambitious Najib, who has been dogged by allegations linking him to the murder of a Mongolian woman, which he has denied, will be content with the minor reshuffle is still unclear. Despite the transition plan, there appears to be a groundswell of sentiment within UMNO that would prefer Abdullah to leave much sooner than he would prefer. The party has called an emergency supreme council meeting for Friday, sparking fresh speculation that change could be in the offing.
This sentiment is also coming from some of the reactionary forces within UMNO, which are believed to be inspired by former premier and party leader Mahathir Mohamad. Mahathir formally quit the party in May, but he is now said to be contemplating a return. He was reported to be backing former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah's bid for the UMNO presidency, which will be decided in December.
Mahathir's son, Mukhriz Mahathir, is also reported to be eyeing the leadership of UMNO's powerful youth wing. He will likely run up against Abdullah's ambitious son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, and former Selangor state chief minister Mohamad Khir Toyo for that post. The political transition could speed up if Abdullah fails to secure enough nominations for the UMNO presidency from the party's various divisions, whose elections are due to run from October to November.
To receive the nomination, he needs to secure the nod from at least 30%, or 58 divisions, of UMNO's 191 party divisions across the country. With his mounting political troubles, not everyone is convinced he can pull it off. Meanwhile, in the midst of the political uncertainty, the arrests and detention without trial of a senior Selangor state government official from the People's Alliance, a Chinese newspaper journalist, the editor of a popular Internet news portal and a blogger have sent a chill down the spines of many Malaysians. Three of them have been released, but Malaysia Today website editor Raja Petra Kamarudin was sent this week to the Kamunting detention camp, where he will serve two years under the renewable order of Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar.
The government's use of the ISA against perceived political opponents has sparked outrage among many Malaysians and rare protests among ruling coalition politicians, one of whom quit his position as law minister over the arrests. Raja Petra, whose website commands a huge following, is seen as something of a folk hero in Malaysia for his frequent exposes of official corruption and abuse of power. Some of his readers believe he was detained to give UMNO leaders a break from his widely read criticisms in the run-up to their party polls - though the official reason given was that his articles insulted Islam and were a threat to national security.
Malaysians have signed online petitions, mailed greeting cards to detainees, participated in candlelight vigils in public places and flocked to prayer services in several places of worship. The arrests have arguably swung public opinion further against the ruling coalition and Abdullah's fast-waning moral authority. Whether Anwar's alliance can capitalize on that sentiment and establish a new reformist government could be determined by UMNO's and Abdullah's next moves.
Anil Netto is a Penang-based writer.
Copyright 2008 Asia Times Online (Holdings) Ltd. All rights reserved. Please contact us about sales, syndication and republishing.)
Sep 26, 2008
Anwar plays a waiting game in MalaysiaBy Anil Netto PENANG - Malaysia's political opposition insists its plan to topple Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi's government is still on track, as doubts emerge about the credibility of those claims after it missed two self-set deadlines for ushering in political change. Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim had set September 16, Malaysia's national day, as the deadline for his People's Alliance coalition to take over the federal government through parliamentary defections to his camp.
When that deadline passed, with Anwar claiming he had the required number of parliamentary defections secured, he set a new September 23 deadline for Abdullah to call an emergency sitting of parliament to hold a no-confidence motion he claimed would bring down the government. Abdullah has ridiculed those calls and refused Anwar's request to meet so that the latter can show him a purported list of parliamentarians who have committed to leave the coalition government and join forces with the opposition.
Anwar has repeatedly told the press that his alliance has the minimum 31 defections he needs to secure a simple majority in parliament, though he has declined to reveal the names of the turncoat parliamentarians. The only snag, from his perspective, is that Abdullah will delay reconvening the legislature to debate a no-confidence motion on his rule. The political uncertainty is starting to take a toll on the economy and investor confidence.
Foreign direct investment flows had already turned negative for 2007 for the first time in the country's 50-year history, according to the 2008 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) World Investment Report, released this week. Inflation hit a 27-year high of 8.5% in August, adding fuel to the population's discontent with the United Malays Nasional Organization (UMNO)-led government. Abdullah has repeatedly accused Anwar of causing instability and undermining the economy.
Anwar has countered that the economic problems stem from Abdullah's failure to introduce meaningful economic reforms. Anwar now needs to tread a delicate constitutional line if he wants to avoid giving an already jittery ruling coalition a pretext for striking back through a more forceful crackdown. This month, an opposition politician, a journalist and an anti-government blogger were all detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA), which allows for indefinite detention without trial.
The opposition leader is now believed to have two political options: seek an audience with the Agong, Malaysia's paramount constitutional monarch, or wait for parliament to reconvene as scheduled from its recess on October 13. Finding that his path to power is strewn with obstacles, Anwar has not committed to any new deadlines for a change in government. The state-influenced mainstream media have ridiculed the passing of his previous deadlines and some feel those missed marks have damaged his credibility. Others more sympathetic to the opposition charge point out that it will not be easy to dislodge the UMNO-led coalition, which has held power for 51 years, during which time it has blurred the lines between party and government.
Anwar's proponents say that September 16 heralded the beginning of a political transition that eventually will lead to UMNO's demise. Intra-party turmoilTwo crucial dates now loom: October 9, when regional divisions of UMNO begin to nominate candidates for top party posts that will be up for grabs during the party's December internal elections, and October 13, when parliament is scheduled to reconvene. Under siege within his own party after the ruling coalition suffered a major setback at March general elections and now held responsible for a listless economy, Abdullah finds himself in an increasingly tight political spot. He recently hammered out a transition plan to hand over power to his deputy, Najib Abdul Razak, by 2010.
He has since indicated he could leave earlier, and in an apparent move to appease his deputy he swapped portfolios with him, handing finance to Najib while Abdullah took over defense. Whether the ambitious Najib, who has been dogged by allegations linking him to the murder of a Mongolian woman, which he has denied, will be content with the minor reshuffle is still unclear. Despite the transition plan, there appears to be a groundswell of sentiment within UMNO that would prefer Abdullah to leave much sooner than he would prefer. The party has called an emergency supreme council meeting for Friday, sparking fresh speculation that change could be in the offing.
This sentiment is also coming from some of the reactionary forces within UMNO, which are believed to be inspired by former premier and party leader Mahathir Mohamad. Mahathir formally quit the party in May, but he is now said to be contemplating a return. He was reported to be backing former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah's bid for the UMNO presidency, which will be decided in December.
Mahathir's son, Mukhriz Mahathir, is also reported to be eyeing the leadership of UMNO's powerful youth wing. He will likely run up against Abdullah's ambitious son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, and former Selangor state chief minister Mohamad Khir Toyo for that post. The political transition could speed up if Abdullah fails to secure enough nominations for the UMNO presidency from the party's various divisions, whose elections are due to run from October to November.
To receive the nomination, he needs to secure the nod from at least 30%, or 58 divisions, of UMNO's 191 party divisions across the country. With his mounting political troubles, not everyone is convinced he can pull it off. Meanwhile, in the midst of the political uncertainty, the arrests and detention without trial of a senior Selangor state government official from the People's Alliance, a Chinese newspaper journalist, the editor of a popular Internet news portal and a blogger have sent a chill down the spines of many Malaysians. Three of them have been released, but Malaysia Today website editor Raja Petra Kamarudin was sent this week to the Kamunting detention camp, where he will serve two years under the renewable order of Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar.
The government's use of the ISA against perceived political opponents has sparked outrage among many Malaysians and rare protests among ruling coalition politicians, one of whom quit his position as law minister over the arrests. Raja Petra, whose website commands a huge following, is seen as something of a folk hero in Malaysia for his frequent exposes of official corruption and abuse of power. Some of his readers believe he was detained to give UMNO leaders a break from his widely read criticisms in the run-up to their party polls - though the official reason given was that his articles insulted Islam and were a threat to national security.
Malaysians have signed online petitions, mailed greeting cards to detainees, participated in candlelight vigils in public places and flocked to prayer services in several places of worship. The arrests have arguably swung public opinion further against the ruling coalition and Abdullah's fast-waning moral authority. Whether Anwar's alliance can capitalize on that sentiment and establish a new reformist government could be determined by UMNO's and Abdullah's next moves.
Anil Netto is a Penang-based writer.
Copyright 2008 Asia Times Online (Holdings) Ltd. All rights reserved. Please contact us about sales, syndication and republishing.)
YB FAIRUS LAKUKAN LAWATAN LAGI.....KES FAP AKAN DISELESAIKAN UNTUK MEMBELA NASIB PEMAIN
PERMATANG PAUH 25 SEPT-Dalam kesibukan menjalankan tugas YB Fairus sempat meluangkan sedikit masa terluang untuk kembali ke Permatang Pauh menyampaikan sedikit sumbangan kepada 3 buah penghuni rumah yang mengalami masaalah terutamanya golongan kurang uaya dan juga warga emas.Bantuan di mukin Tanah Liat ini diberi kerana maklumat yang dikumpulkan baru diketahui kini.
KES FAP AKAN DISELESAIKAN WALAU MENJADI BEBANAN KEPADA KERAJAAN NEGERI.
Menurut maklumat yang YB Fairus maklumkan bahawa kes FAP akan diselesaikan sebaik mungkin.beliau tidak dimaklumkan adanya perjumpaan sebelum ini dengan EXCO Belia dan Sukan negeri.
Walau bagaimana pun satu tindakan telah dilakukan dimana beliau sedang berbincang dengan beberapa syrikat untuk menaja pemain dan menyelesaikan masalah mereka.Laporan penuh dari Mohd Sabri Said dalam Harakahdaily..
KES 1
Kampung Tanah Liat -Pn Syarifah Bt Ismail 60 menerima bantuan hamper dan juga beras dari YB Fairus, dan bersama beliau ialah pihak dari Pejabat Daerah,Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat,dan juga pejabat daerah.Lawatan ini juga mendapati Pn Syarifah tidak menerima bantuan walau nama tersenarai dibawah Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat.Bersama lawatan ini pihak Jabatan kebajikan masyarakat akan memberi bantuan di bawah program BKK Bantuan Kanak-kanak sebanyak RM300 seberapa segera.
KES 2
Keluarga En Hussein Ismail 64
mendapat bantuan sebanyak RM400 dari kebajikan .Rumah beliau berdekatan dengan rumah salah seorang pemimpin UMNO yang akan bertanding di peringkat Bahagian Permatang Pauh dan terletak berhampiran Sekolah Kebangsaan Tanah Liat.
KES 3
En Zakaria Ahmad dan anak beliau yang mana kedua-dua beranak ini terlantar dan bergantung kepada isterinya untuk membantu.Keluarga ini cuma mendapat bantuan RM sebanyak RM95 ringgit.Kehadiran YB telah membuka mata pihak-pihak berwajib terutamanya pihak Jabatan kebajikan Masyarakat dengan menyelesaikan masaalah mereka sedikit sebanyak dengan memberi bantuan RM300 di bawah skim bantuan orang terlantar kurang upaya.
Beliau juga kemudiannya bergegas ke pulang untuk menyelesaikan masalah dengan pihak Jabatan Agama Islam Pulau Pinang berhubung perlantikan Pengerusi Majlis Agama yang dipegang oleh YB Shabudin dari UMNO .Campurtangan pihak atasan menjadikan keadaan tidak dapat diselesaikan kerana persetujuan sebelum ini untuk melantik pihak yang tidak punya kepentingan politik iaitu Ustaz Elias Zakaria, bekas Pengarah Pusat Islam USM memegang tampuk Jabatan Agama islam Negeri telah dibatalkan oleh pihak UMNO Negeri.
KES FAP AKAN DISELESAIKAN WALAU MENJADI BEBANAN KEPADA KERAJAAN NEGERI.
Menurut maklumat yang YB Fairus maklumkan bahawa kes FAP akan diselesaikan sebaik mungkin.beliau tidak dimaklumkan adanya perjumpaan sebelum ini dengan EXCO Belia dan Sukan negeri.
Walau bagaimana pun satu tindakan telah dilakukan dimana beliau sedang berbincang dengan beberapa syrikat untuk menaja pemain dan menyelesaikan masalah mereka.Laporan penuh dari Mohd Sabri Said dalam Harakahdaily..
KES 1
Kampung Tanah Liat -Pn Syarifah Bt Ismail 60 menerima bantuan hamper dan juga beras dari YB Fairus, dan bersama beliau ialah pihak dari Pejabat Daerah,Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat,dan juga pejabat daerah.Lawatan ini juga mendapati Pn Syarifah tidak menerima bantuan walau nama tersenarai dibawah Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat.Bersama lawatan ini pihak Jabatan kebajikan masyarakat akan memberi bantuan di bawah program BKK Bantuan Kanak-kanak sebanyak RM300 seberapa segera.
KES 2
Keluarga En Hussein Ismail 64
mendapat bantuan sebanyak RM400 dari kebajikan .Rumah beliau berdekatan dengan rumah salah seorang pemimpin UMNO yang akan bertanding di peringkat Bahagian Permatang Pauh dan terletak berhampiran Sekolah Kebangsaan Tanah Liat.
KES 3
En Zakaria Ahmad dan anak beliau yang mana kedua-dua beranak ini terlantar dan bergantung kepada isterinya untuk membantu.Keluarga ini cuma mendapat bantuan RM sebanyak RM95 ringgit.Kehadiran YB telah membuka mata pihak-pihak berwajib terutamanya pihak Jabatan kebajikan Masyarakat dengan menyelesaikan masaalah mereka sedikit sebanyak dengan memberi bantuan RM300 di bawah skim bantuan orang terlantar kurang upaya.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)