JANUARY 2006
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Wednesday, 1st February,2006
STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS
Well, it ran for 50 minutes, included 20 minutes of applause and was watched by more than 35 million Americans. In today's State of the Union address in Washington President George W. Bush, himself a former Texas oil executive, warned that his country was "addicted to oil" and that alternative fuels were needed to break the US's reliance on the Middle East. He vowed that, to secure peace, the US would continue to lead, bringing peace on Earth and goodwill to all men. Let us pray... But with an eye on mid-term Congressional elections later this year, the embattled US President set out an agenda, clearly aimed at reversing his slide in the polls and proving that he is not a lame duck leader. Here is an abridged run-down of the state of George W's union.
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Wednesday, 1st February,2006
PAKISTAN'S FLYING DOCTORS
When that huge earthquake struck high in the mountains last October, killing more than 80,000 people and leaving 2.5 million homeless, any relief operation was always going to be difficult. Now, almost four months later, it's reported that only about half the money appealed for has actually hit the ground in Kashmir. Happily, though, this country was not slow to help. An Australian Army medical team has been on the ground saving lives since early November. Over the years, Dateline's David Brill has filmed many natural disasters and recently gained exclusive access to the Army medicos on the job in Pakistan. As you'll see from David's report, it was a deeply moving experience for all concerned.
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Wednesday, 1st February,2006
KENYA - WHERE WOMEN RULE
An amazing story of feminism, African-style, a remote village where women rule and where men have been reduced to mere genetic necessities. And oddly enough, this is occurring in one of the most patriarchal parts of the world.
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To see this lifestyle for herself, and discover its raison d'etre, Liz Tadic travelled to the far north of Kenya.
For the Umoja Project website
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Wednesday, 1st February,2006
DR MAHMOUD AL ZAHAR INTERVIEW
Since their sweeping victory in last week's Palestinian elections the militant Islamists Hamas, have been under intense international pressure, including earlier today by George Bush in his State of the Union address, to drop their hardline stance against Israel and renounce violence in their quest to achieve an autonomous, unoccupied Palestinian state.
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In response, Hamas has brushed aside threats to freeze hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to the Palestinian people as 'blackmail', promising to seek money, instead, from the Arab world if the US and EU taps are turned off.
Not to put too fine a point on it, Hamas's election has turned Middle East politics on its head. None of the players knows for sure how to deal with them or their impact on the stalled peace process. Early today George Negus spoke with Dr Mahmoud al-Zahar, one of Hamas's most senior figures, from his home in Gaza. -
Wednesday, 25th January,2006
SHIMON PERES INTERVIEW
Back in Israel, Dateline met with two-time Labor prime minister Shimon Peres, the diehard dove who shocked many, both here at home and abroad, when he joined forces with his arch political rival Ariel Sharon in Kadima, Sharon's new out-of-the-blue centre party. George Negus met with the 82-year-old Nobel Peace Prize-winner at his office in Tel Aviv.
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Wednesday, 25th January,2006
NEW ORLEANS-BLACK RAGE
Dateline's Nick Lazaredes in New Orleans, with the sorry racial fallout from Hurricane Katrina and the story of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is not a pretty one.
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New Orleans / Hurricane Katrina Websites
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Wednesday, 25th January,2006
NABIL SHA'ATH INTERVIEW
In what more telling location to kick off the 2006 season for Dateline than here in the Middle East? In fact, in unmistakable Jerusalem, right here on the religious fault line that divides the Muslim Palestinians from the Israeli Jews. Behind me is the Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of Islam's holiest sites, and just below it, very close indeed, you could say dangerously close, is the Wailing Wall, so sacred to the Jews.
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In recent times, however, politics in this brittle part of the world has been turned on its head and tonight Dateline will hear from former Labor prime minister Shimon Peres about the seismic shifts under way here as we speak.
Literally as Dateline goes to air tonight your time, Palestinians are going to the polls about a kilometre away from here in East Jerusalem, in Gaza and the West Bank, in what is a crucial election, one that has seen the emergence of the militant Islamic group Hamas as a serious and popular political force.
Hamas is being tipped to get about a third of the vote in today's poll, challenging the traditional leadership of Fatah, the party of the late Yasser Arafat. George Negus spoke with Nabil Shaath, Arafat's number two, these days the Palestinian Foreign Minister, about half an hour away from here in Ramallah, on the West Bank.
