January 28, 2003
International Security Conference Disputes Bush (4:09)
As the nation and the world prepare for president Bush’s State of the Union address tonight, the media are predicting yet another threat of war on Iraq. In the administration’s efforts to protect the homeland, critics say the the White House’s offensive approach is counterproductive. At the International Conference on Redefining Globalization, recently convened in Mexico, panelists came up with other ideas. Leslie Clark reports.
Israeli Elections (2:27)
Israelis are voting in national elections – the vote was called three months ago when Prime Minister Ariel Minister Ariel Sharon couldn’t put together a stable coalition – polls indicate Sharon will win – but he’ll likely still have trouble forging a ruling coalition. Widespread voter disappointment is reflected in the lowest turnout at the polls since the state was founded 54 years ago. Irris Makler reports from Jerusalem, on an election in which the leading parties have failed to grapple with Israel’s social and economic problems – much less the conflict with the Palestinians.
Palestinian Reaction to Israel Elections (3:16)
As Israelis went to the polls, Seven Palestinians were killed during raids on Jenin and the Gaza strip, and some 25,000 additional Israeli soldiers and police were sent to the occupied territories. The Israeli military does not expect to lift an imposed 24 hour curfew until Wednesday. when Ariel Sharon is reelected, Palestinians say they anticipate more bloody raids like the one over the weekend in Gaza which claimed 14 Palestinians. from Ramallah, Awad Duaibes has a Palestinian perspective on the Israeli elections.
WSF: Unemployment Movements Compare Tactics (3:39)
The Third Annual World Social Forum came to a close today in Porto Alegre, Brazil. As many as a hundred thousand people from all over the world came together to develop strategies for creating a better world. To many of the delegates, the real value of the event is the chance to compare notes with activists in other countries, involved in similar struggles. One of those exchanges happened between the the unemployed workers’ movements of Argentina and Brazil, known here as MTD’s. Workers in both countries are in crisis, and the number of the jobless continues to grow. From the independent media centers of Brazil and Argentina, Pablo and Toya filed this report from a meeting between Brazilian and Argentine activists.
Seattle Buses Bear Anti-War Slogans (6:07)
Progressive media in the US have been critical of the administration’s so called war on terrorism at home and abroad for some time. But many stories of bold and creative challenges to the war have yet to be covered… full page adds have been taken out in newspapers by organizations such as NOT IN OUR NAME, a group of scientists in Antarctica recently created a human peace sign…and a movement to impeach the president is gathering steam. Martha Baskin reports from Seattle on a somewhat more subtle tactic, taking the anti-war message on the city bus.
