THE DAILY CHRONICLE – January 4, 2008

A Win for Terrorism: Cancellation of the Dakar Rally

By Calvin A. Thompson

PARIS – The Dakar Rally was cancelled on the eve of the beginning of the first stage after al-Qaeda threatened to launch attacks against the international motorcycle, car and truck race across the Sahara desert.

The French government warned race organizers that al-Qaeda’s north African affiliate was planning to target competitors in the race. According to race organizers, the threats were linked to the December 24 slaying of a family of French tourists in Mauritania.

A posting on the Dakar rally website said:

“Based on the current international political tension and the murder of four French tourists last 24th of December linked to a branch of Al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb, but also and mainly the direct threats launched directly against the race by terrorist organisations, no other decision but the cancellation of the sporting event could be taken by A.S.O. (Amaury Sports Organization)”

Approximately 550 competitors were to begin the race on Saturday. The race lasts 16-days and travels 5,760 miles through a remote and hostile landscape from Europe to Senegal in west Africa.

THE DAILY CHRONICLE – January 3, 2008

FBI: Do you know who D.B. Cooper was?

By Calvin A. Thompson

PORTLAND, OREGON – The FBI is making a new attempt at identifying the mysterious skyjacker identified as D.B. Cooper. Cooper boarded a Northwest flight in Portland for a flight to Seattle on the night of November 24, 1971. He commandeered the Boeing 727 plane claiming he had dynamite. In Seattle he demanded and was given $200,000 and four parachutes, then demanded he be flown to Mexico. The plane took-off and tracked southeast towards Mexico. Somewhere over southwestern Washington state, Cooper jumped out the plane’s tail exit with two chutes.

The FBI is making a new stab at identifying mysterious skyjacker D.B. Cooper, who bailed out of an airliner in 1971 and vanished.

In 1980, a young boy found several tattered bundles of $20 bills near the Columbia River and they were later identified to be from the hijacking.

While the FBI believes Cooper almost certainly didn’t survive the jump from the aircraft, considering it was night, raining, and undertaken over mountainous terrain, they would like to determine who he really was. Several people have claimed to be him, but all were discounted by DNA samples taken from the real D.B. Cooper’s tie, which he left on the aircraft.

The FBI have released new drawings of D.B.Cooper in the hope a member of the public may recognize him and provide more details. If you have any information please e-mail the FBI’s Seattle field office at fbise@leo.gov

To The Election… CNN Predicts Obama and Huckabee

DES MOINES, IOWA – CNN has projected that Barack Obama will win the Iowa Democratic caucus and Mike Huckabee will be the Republican winner. CNN said that with 95 percent of precincts reporting, Obama had the support of 37 percent of voters, With 78 percent of Republican precincts reporting, Huckabee had the support of 34 percent of voters, compared to 25 percent for Mitt Romney.

Nikkei Plunges on Wall Street Woes

TOKYO – The Nikkei plunged 606 point Friday morning following a jittery lead from Wall Street. Economists blame the fall on concerns about the Japanese economy and the rising price of oil, which set a fresh trading record of $US100.09 a barrel overnight.

THE DAILY CHRONICLE – January 2, 2008

Bhutto Planned to Expose Election Rigging Before Death

By Calvin A. Thompson

PAKISTAN – Explosive revelations were made Tuesday after a top Benazir Bhutto aide revealed to CNN plans by the late-election candidate to hand over a report accusing Pakistan’s intelligence services of a plot to rig parliamentary elections. The document, which has not been made public, has yet to be verified.

He’s "Hot"! Facebook Punters Deliver Verdict on Bhutto’s Successor

LONDON – The son of Benazir Bhutto has been dubbed ‘hot’ by the online community. Female Facebook fans have described Bilawal Bhutto as ‘cute’ after a new group was created on the website after the 19-year-old was named his mother’s successor for leading the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to the next election.

Bilawal Bhutto, thrust into the political spotlight by the assassination of his mother in Pakistan, can count on support from at least one source -- female Facebook fans who describe him as "hot".


U.S. Diplomat Dies in Sudan Shooting

KHARTOUM, SUDAN – An American diplomat was shot to death early Tuesday by gunmen in a passing car. The diplomat was identified as John Granville, 33, an official for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Also killed was his Sudanese driver. No motive for the killings has been determined, according to the U.S. embassy in Khartoum.

There’s Safety in ‘em-There Hills!

LONDON – In scenes reminiscent of the gold rushes seen in the 1800s, investors have been scrambling back to the safety of this popular commodity. With the U.S. market continuing to slump in the wake of subprime and nervousness about the retardation of the economy, gold has again become the favorite investment of choice to hedge risk.

On Monday, the precious metal rose above $US843.00 to close at its all time high of $US850.00. It slipped back Tuesday to $US840.75 on profit taking, but the overall rise marks a 32 percent increase on the metal for the past year (Source: Kitco.com). With tensions expected to continue in Pakistan and a general nervousness caused by slowing economies plaguing most of the major world markets – all that glitters is gold!

DISCLAIMER: This is Calvin’s own commentary and should not be construed as financial advice. For more information on investing in gold, contact your local financial adviser. At the time this article was written, Calvin held personal investments in gold stocks.

THE DAILY CHRONICLE - January 1, 2008

Kenya is Burning – 298 Dead and Counting

By Calvin A. Thompson

NAIROBI, KENYA – Vote-rigging-incited violence killed 298 people in violence across the restive state of Kenya, according to the British Guardian Unlimited. Angry mobs burned a church in Rift Valley city with 50 ethnic Kikuyus still inside. All were killed. The violence began after President Mwai Kibaki was reinstalled to power in the most controversial of manners – an alleged rigged election. Those perpetrating the violence are supporters of opposition party leader Raila Odinga, who led the election-rigging accusations.


Guantanamo Bay is bad for your Health

GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA – Nobody said Guantanamo Bay was good for your health, but now it’s positively fatal. Afghani inmate Abdul Razzak died of colorectal cancer on December 31 after three months of ongoing treatment by facility doctors. Razzak was an alleged “Jihadist with command responsibilities” according to a release from the International Committee of the Red Cross.


China: Welcome Foreign Investors… But Only Just

BEIJING, CHINA – Beijing has eased a ban on new foreign investment in its securities industry, but continues to maintain tight control over foreign infiltration of its markets by relegating the outside world to no more than 20 percent ownership per individual investor. Further, a firm can have no more than 25 percent foreign ownership in total. To date only Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Switzerland's UBS AG were the only security firms with access to the Chinese market, but this latest move will open up the Chinese economy to a swathe of new investors.


The Denuclarization That Never Is

WASHINGTON – The U.S. State Department has again subtly nudged North Korea over its failure to supply a completed declaration of its nuclear programs before the 31st December 2007 deadline. Pyongyang has yet to make any progress on the denuclearization of its main reactor at Yongbyon. Enough said.