SEPTEMBER 2005
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Wednesday, 28th September,2005
MAALIKA - AFAR ANGEL
A remarkable story about an Australian woman who's "gone native" - so to speak - in a horribly desolate, but stunningly beautiful corner of Africa. It's the sort of godforsaken place that - on those old maps - might've had "Here Be Dragons" scrawled across it. That said, when reporter Olivia Rousset ventured there, you could say she found not a dragon, but an angel.
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If you would like to donate to Valerie's organisation please contact AngliCORD and specify that you would like to donate to the "Afar Appeal": angliCORD -
Wednesday, 28th September,2005
BILL HEFFERNAN INTERVIEW
A couple of months ago, Dateline brought you a report about the importation of beef from Brazil, a country where foot and mouth disease is endemic. But, potentially, what you are about to hear is much worse. Earlier this month, Federal Cabinet discussed allowing the import of beef from countries that have had outbreaks of BSE or mad cow disease. Foot and mouth only infects animals, but with mad cow, we're talking about human health. Earlier this evening, George Negus spoke to Government Senator, Bill Heffernan.
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Wednesday, 28th September,2005
SOMALIA
For most of us, just about the only awareness we have of Somalia are those shocking images of famine - or maybe even from the movie, 'Black Hawk Down' about the disastrous US intervention there. The fact is that the international community has pretty much relegated Somalia to the too-hard basket - and now it's a security risk to boot. Dateline's Thom Cookes and SBS Radio's Issa Farah were in Somalia recently, where an attempt is under way to get the country an even vaguely recognisable government.
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Wednesday, 21st September,2005
CAJUN CHAOS - THE TROUBLE WITH KATRINA
It is three weeks now since Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, flooding the city and trapping about 150,000 people. With the clean-up under way, this week, parts of the city were reopened and some residents were told they could return. But, no-one, it seems, had counted on another hurricane, Rita, that's making its way as we speak towards the Gulf Coast. And yesterday, the mayor rescinded his return advice and told the residents of New Orleans to evacuate again. Clearly, no-one's prepared to risk a repeat of the Bush Administration's disastrously inadequate response to Katrina. Here's Nick Lazaredes.
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Wednesday, 21st September,2005
MARK MALLOCH BROWN INTERVIEW
So what's the official UN reaction to being under attack from the US? Before George Negus left New York, he talked with Kofi Annan's chief of staff, Mark Malloch Brown.
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Wednesday, 21st September,2005
THE US VS THE UN - AND BILL CLINTON
Back from New York and what a week it was with the UN meeting for its 60th and one of its most crucial annual General Assemblies ever. In fact, many were arguing that it's make-or-break time for the embattled world body. The Bush-led US, they say, is actually out to 'get' the UN.
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Dateline was there, inside the UN tower itself, when the gloves came off in their battle over the UN's long-awaited Millennium Goals - essentially, the elimination of extreme poverty in the world, the definition and approach to terrorism, nuclear non-proliferation, disarmament and climate change.
And there was a twist. As all this was going on - across town - another gathering of international heavyweights was taking place, this one called by a man whose disciples believe should be "the first president of the world". -
Wednesday, 14th September,2005
THE RACE IS ON.
Another of Australia's near neighbours that seldom makes it on to the UN radar is New Zealand, so it's no great surprise really that Helen Clark, the Prime Minister unlike John Howard, is not here for the Millennium Summit. As we speak - a bit like the UN itself actually - she's got the political fight of her life on her hands, against a raw but very, very aggressive conservative opponent, with New Zealanders going to the polls this coming weekend. Here's Sophie McNeill.
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Wednesday, 14th September,2005
JOHN HOWARD INTERVIEW
In recent times the UN has been under heavy fire. The so-called Iraq Oil-for-Food scandal with persistent allegations of fraud and mismanagement going right to the top, have clearly damaged the world body's already questionable reputation. And now, George Bush has turned up the heat by appointing what amounts to his own personal envoy to this place, John Bolton - a man who actually believes the world would be better off without the UN, so you could say the gloves are off. And yesterday George Negus spoke with Prime Minister John Howard, who's also in town for the big meeting.
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Wednesday, 14th September,2005
DATELINE - FROM NEW YORK
Dateline is coming to you from the United Nations Headquarters in downtown Manhattan where, this week, the largest gathering of world leaders in history will meet. Something like 175 of them will gather here for what is arguably the most critical General Assembly in the United Nations' 60 years of existence.
Many observers say that the next three days - the so-called Millennium Summit - is make-or-break time for the UN, with Kofi Annan, the Secretary-General, to present his long-awaited master plan to transform the much-bagged world body.
That said - in an era in which half the world lives in abject poverty, racism, global warming, religious rivalry, terrorism and the war against it - which 'U' will shape the years ahead for the world and its 6 billion inhabitants - the UN or the US? And this is definitely the tipping point question being asked in the 38-storey power building behind me in a week that could - like Iraq - split not just the UN but the entire world.
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Wednesday, 14th September,2005
THE TWO WORLDS OF SIR MICHAEL SOMARE.
One struggling nation that is a member of the UN but whose fortunes seldom get raised here is in fact Australia's nearest neighbour, Papua New Guinea. For most of us, Sir Michael Somare is the face of PNG. 30 years ago this week in fact he wrestled his country a way from Australian colonial rule to become its first prime minister. Now, at 69, he's back in power. Mark Davis recently spent time with Sir Michael - these days more reflective but still just as blunt.
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Wednesday, 7th September,2005
EMBASSY BOMBERS ON TRIAL.
This week marks the anniversary of the bombing of Australia's Embassy in Jakarta - a blast that resulted in 12 Indonesian deaths and 188 people injured. Immediately after the event, there was plenty of media coverage of both the explosion and its aftermath. But, surprisingly, little has been heard since about the capture and the trial of the six men charged over the attack.
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However, David O'Shea, our Indonesian-speaking reporter, managed to gain quite remarkable access to the South Jakarta court. David spent two months filming the trial of the accused - four of whom face the death penalty. As you'll see from David's report, Indonesia's justice system - very much in the throes of reform - isn't quite what you'd expect in a case of this importance. A warning though - some scenes in this piece could cause distress. -
Wednesday, 7th September,2005
MARTIN WALKER INTERVIEW.
It is a sad coincidence that this week also marks the anniversary of September 11. There's also plenty of irony in the stark difference between George Bush's position this time and four years ago. Arguably, 9/11 gave the US, the world's sole remaining super power, enough high moral ground to wage two wars, in Afghanistan and Iraq.
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That said could the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina now erode the hitherto supreme confidence of the Bush Administration? In the US, they're calling the aftermath of the disaster, 'Katrinagate'.
Two separate investigations have been announced into what went wrong and it's a fair bet that heads will eventually roll. But, the political fallout for George Bush and Co. goes way beyond just who's to blame. In fact, many believe the answer ultimately goes to the very root of the American political system itself. Martin Walker, Editor of United Press International in Washington, is a long-time America-watcher and George Negus spoke with him earlier today. -
Wednesday, 7th September,2005
THE WILD WILD EAST.
Over the last hectic week, Dateline reporter Aaron Lewis pitched himself headlong into the eye of the humanitarian storm that's engulfed New Orleans. Aaron had been working on a story for us in Toronto, when Katrina tore through the southern US states of Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana. Thinking on his feet, Aaron hitched a ride with a military helicopter into the Gulf city, so famous for its jazz, its mardi gras and its gumbo, the city which 1O days ago became Ground Zero of the worst natural disaster in United States history. Here's Aaron's highly personal snapshot of the chaos left by Katrina.
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