Archive - Feb 4, 2008

• Israel Faces its First Suicide Bombing Attack in More Than a Year
• Egypt-Gaza Border Closed, But Control of Crossing Up for Grabs
• Green Party Gets in the Super Tuesday Mix, Holding Primaries in Four States
• Bush Releases 2009 Budget: 3.1 Trillion Dollars and Slashes to Domestic Spending
• Women Campaign to Repeal Armed Forces Special Powers Act in India
• The Corporate Elections

13 Meg Version Click Here
Dial-Up Listeners Click Here

• CRISIS IN CHAD
• ANTI-FARC PROTESTS
• BRITAIN MP BUGGED IN JAIL HOUSE MEETING WITH DETAINEE
• NIGERIAN POLICE FIRE HIV POSITIVE RECRUITS

Israel was hit with its first suicide bombing in more than a year today.  One woman is dead and eight people wounded in the Southern town of Dimona.  Police shot a second suicide bomber before he could detonate his explosive belt.  Three Palestinian militant groups have claimed responsibility – although it is not yet clear who is actually behind the bombing.  Officials also don't know if the bomber entered Israel from Gaza through a hole in the border that was blasted open by Hamas 12 days ago.

Today gunfire erupted at the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza, reportedly killing one civilian and wounding six soldiers. The shooting began when Egyptian troops attempted to halt the flow of people trying to get back home. The crowd started to throw rocks and the Egyptians responded with smoke grenades and gunfire.

This confrontation comes after the Egypt-Gaza border was resealed yesterday with metal barricades and barbed wire. On January 23rd, Palestinian militants blew a hole in the border, allowing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to cross into Egypt and stock up on food, fuel and other supplies. An Israeli blockade has made those items scarce in Gaza. Now those who crossed the border are mostly back home, or on their way there.

Commentary by Mumia Abu Jamal

Nearly half the US states participate in the process to choose the Democratic and Republican Presidential nominees – a large number of states will go to the polls tomorrow. But the nominee for the Green Party will also be in play on Super Tuesday. Four states - California, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Arkansas - have Green primaries. For the first time, the Green Party nomination is expected to be hotly contested.

Former Georgia Representative Cynthia McKinney will be on the ballot. She announced her candidacy last month. She offers a platform of peace and ending poverty.

(Sound Clip)