http://news.linktv.org Link TV News Videos (Filtered by topics: Food security) en-us Thu, 28 Mar 2013 01:12:00 -0700 Copyright 2011 Link Media, Inc. http://news.linktv.org/videos/trouble-rumbles-as-egypt-plans-bread-rationing?start=0 Subsidized bread is the stuff of life for tens of millions of Egyptians struggling to live on less than $2 a day but with the economy in severe trouble, the government is running out of cash for imported wheat. Public anger is rising once again as authorities plan subsidy cuts and rationing of "public bread." <br /> Thu, 28 Mar 2013 01:12:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/trouble-rumbles-as-egypt-plans-bread-rationing Egypt, Food prices, Bread, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Economy of Egypt, Politics of Egypt, Subsidy, Food security, Mohamed Morsi, Egyptian pound Subsidized bread is the stuff of life for tens of millions of Egyptians struggling to live on less than $2 a day but with the economy in severe trouble, the government is running out of cash for imported wheat. Public anger is rising once again as authorities plan subsidy cuts and rationing of "public bread." http://news.linktv.org/videos/severe-food-shortages-hit-war-torn-mali?start=0 Amid reports of abuse and widespread food shortages in northern Mali, many people in the West African nation believe the French-led war in the country has worsened their situation, Press TV reports. Tue, 12 Feb 2013 14:35:00 -0800 http://news.linktv.org/videos/severe-food-shortages-hit-war-torn-mali 2012-present Northern Mali conflict, Famine, Mali, French Armed Forces, Food security, France, West Africa, Press TV Amid reports of abuse and widespread food shortage in northern Mali, many people in the West African nation believe the French-led war in the country has worsened their situation, Press TV reports. http://news.linktv.org/videos/africa-climate-for-change?start=436 Africa, a continent facing frequent droughts, is especially vulnerable to climate change. But Africans are finding innovative solutions. Creating a Climate for Change, a new film by Jeff Barbee, takes us on a journey through Southern Africa exploring local people-driven projects that help communities adapt to climate change and restore ecological systems. Wed, 05 Dec 2012 12:00:00 -0800 http://news.linktv.org/videos/africa-climate-for-change Climate change, Environment, Africa, Zambia, Namibia, Namib Desert, Conservation Agriculture, South Africa, Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve Zambian farmers have seen growing seasons drastically altered due to climate change, causing their current systems of agriculture to break down. But the country has adopted a sustainable farming system on a national level, called Conservation Agriculture. As Earth Focus reports, it reduces the costs of agricultural supplies and increases food security. http://news.linktv.org/videos/sandy-wiped-out-haitian-crops?start=0 Hurricane Sandy killed at least 54 people when it hit Haiti but food shortages may kill many more. The storm has devastated crops in the south of the country, the only part of Haiti where agriculture wasn't already suffering from drought or the effects of Hurricane Isaac.<br /> Thu, 01 Nov 2012 00:01:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/sandy-wiped-out-haitian-crops Haiti, Poverty in Haiti, Hurricane Sandy, Food security, Famine, Malnutrition, Hurricane, Tropical Storm Isaac, NTDTV Hurricane Sandy killed at least 54 people when it hit Haiti but food shortages may kill many more. The storm has devastated crops in the south of the country, the only part of Haiti where agriculture wasn't already suffering from drought or the effects of Hurricane Isaac. http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-090612?start=342 <p>Turkey launches major operation against suspected Kurdish militants, Arab League calls for ceasefire resolution on Syria as civilians' plight grows, pro-Israel lobby exposed at US Democratic National Convention, and more.</p> Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-090612 Israel, Syrian Civil War, Palestinians, Turkey, Syria, Fatah, Israel Defense Forces, Azerbaijan, UN Security Council, Arab League Presenter, Male #1 The Syrian Coordination Committee reported the killing of 67 people today, including 41 in Damascus. Confrontations between Syrian government forces and the armed opposition continued in many areas, particularly in Damascus, its countryside, and the city of Aleppo. Opposition members are saying that Aleppo's neighborhoods are being subjected to ongoing shelling, in addition to a lack of food supplies. This, as the Syrian Revolution's General Commission documented on Wednesday the killing of 224 people; most of them died in Aleppo. Reporter, Male #2 Yet another bloody day in different parts of Syria after battles intensified in Damascus, its countryside, Aleppo and its surroundings, Deir az-Zour, and al-Bukamal, according to a news agency. Guest, Male #3 The destruction in Babbila was caused by the indiscriminate shelling of the town. Reporter, Male #2 In Damascus, the Syrian Observatory said clashes took place in Jubla, and the al-Kadam and al-Asali neighborhoods, in Zamalka and Deir al-Asafir. The Yarmouk camp witnessed clashes during which heavy machine guns and mortar shells were used. It was later announced that two planes were hovering over the camp and targeted some centers and buildings. It was also reported that a protest took off from al-Jauna Street in al-Yarmouk to denounce the massacres carried out by the regime against civilians, according to the Coordination Committees. Reporter, Male #2 The observatory said that violent clashes took place at a regime checkpoint near a gate leading to the Sayeda Zeinab shrine in the countryside of Damascus. In al-Tadamon neighborhood, activists posted images online, saying they show the liberation of Ummahat al-Momineen Mosque where signs of tampering, destruction, and devastation were visible. In Aleppo, clashes and shelling continued, as warplanes hovered over the region then bombarded a number of neighborhoods in the city, notably in al-Shaar, Bustan al-Qasr, and Masaken Hanano, where a large number of people were reportedly killed. Reporter, Male #2 Syrian TV broadcast a report about the progress of military operations in Aleppo, and held interviews with the commanders. Guest, Male #4 We are in the area of Sheikh Sayd; we will completely cleanse this area, and we will crush them. Guest, Male #5 God willing, we will restore safety and security to the citizens and to the nation. Reporter, Male #2 In Homs, the Observatory announced that clashes were renewed in the town of Qala'at al-Hosn. Activists posted videos showing members of the Free Army seizing a Chiklah armored vehicle as the shelling of al-Rastan was resumed. http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-090512?start=1467 <p>Violence rages across Syria as battered Aleppo loses 115 lives, mass anger erupts on Bahrain's streets after uprising leaders lose appeal, Israel's expansion policies separate Palestinian children from schools across the West Bank, and more.</p> Wed, 05 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-090512 Israel, West Bank, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Human rights, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Syrian Civil War, Human rights in Bahrain, Logar Province, Avigdor Lieberman, Palestinians Presenter, Male #1 In addition to the security and political crisis in Mali, the food shortage is threatening millions of Malians. The situation there is increasingly looking like a humanitarian crisis. Reporter, Male #2 Lax security brought about a dire humanitarian situation: this is what is happening in Mali, where the United Nations' Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs confirmed that the nation is facing a severe food crisis as some five million people are suffering from food shortages. Among them are nearly 270 thousand refugees, and over 170 thousand displaced individuals. Reporter, Male #2 The deteriorating security situation forced them to abandon their lands, and that has had negative repercussions on the agricultural sector. The outbreak of cholera that caused the death of 12 people is an additional problem they are facing. Reporter, Male #2 Humanitarian agencies are working to extend a helping hand. The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO, is participating in planting rice seedlings north of Mali. UNICEF and its World Food Programme are working to protect children and assist those suffering from severe malnourishment. These programs help alleviate the food crisis; however, the ongoing deteriorating security situation may hinder that progress, and even its efficiency, leaving the Malian citizen in a spiral of security and food crises. ** Contact Mosaic News: mosaicnews{at}linktv{dot}org http://news.linktv.org/videos/north-korea-hit-with-massive-floods-food-shortages?start=0 North Korea has signed a wide-ranging agreement with China that sets up a special economic zone on the Korean side of the border and expands aid from China. This comes two weeks after massive flooding killed over 170 people in North Korea and left a quarter of a million homeless. Tue, 21 Aug 2012 11:44:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/north-korea-hit-with-massive-floods-food-shortages North Korea, Flood, Special Economic Zone, Pyongyang, Environment, Food security, Humanitarian aid, LinkAsia, Yul Kwon North Korea has signed a wide-ranging agreement with China that sets up a special economic zone on the Korean side of the border and expands aid from China. This comes two weeks after massive flooding killed over 170 people in North Korea and left a quarter of a million homeless. http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-080912?start=287 <p>Sectarian violence displaces thousands of Rohingyas in Myanmar, cradle of Tunisian uprising demands Sidi Bouzid's liberation, Libya celebrates transfer of power to elected assembly, and more.</p> Thu, 09 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-080912 Rohingya, Islamism, Myanmar, Muslim, Foreign relations of Burma, İzmir Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sidi Bou Zid, Politics of Libya, Battle of Aleppo Presenter, Male #1 UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos warned of a worsening humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo if relief organizations operating there do not receive the necessary support to offer humanitarian aid, such as food and basic services, to residents fleeing the ongoing violence between government forces and the rebels, ongoing since May. Reporter, Female #1 This child's situation is similar to many other children in Congo, and is among 250,000 people who were displaced due to the violence between government forces and the rebels in the area of Luchero that started in May. Reporter, Female #1 Kanyaruchinya is one of the camps that residents sought refuge in after fleeing acts of violence and the dangers that threaten their safety. Youths and children are being forced to fight with the rebels, and many women are getting raped. Reporter, Female #1 The inhabitants of the camp say they are living under bad conditions. A severe food shortage is forcing children to search for leftovers in these containers, and their mothers are forced to beg. UN Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos confirmed that the lack of funding is hindering relief efforts. She warned that if relief organizations operating in the Congo do not receive the necessary funds of 791 million dollars, that the humanitarian crisis will worsen. However, these organizations have not even received half that amount. Guest, Female #2 (Valerie Amos, UN Relief Coordinator) The situation is very bad; people want to return to their homes and they want safety. There are many children, and there isn't a suitable shelter for them, or food. We will try to do what we can to reduce the impact of the fighting, but the great number of refugees makes the mission difficult. Reporter, Female #1 During her visit, Amos is working to bring the attention of the donors to the refugees' suffering in the Congo. These refugees are looking forward to achieving a peace treaty between the government and the rebels so calm can be restored to their country. This would end the humanitarian and political crisis the country is witnessing. Samah Hamdan, BBC. http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-070312?start=1132 <p>Iran tests long-range ballistic missiles in response to growing Western threats, Palestinian Authority faces risk of collapse due to financial crisis, Libyan expats vote in first post-Gaddafi election, and more.</p> Tue, 03 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-070312 Syrian Civil War, Syria, Israel, Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Palestinian National Authority, Palestinians, Cairo, US-Iran relations, Elections in Libya, Middle East Peace Process Presenter, Female #1 The new Egyptian president has set a 100-day time frame to make tangible reforms in five areas that directly influence the citizens' lives. They are security, traffic, bread, cleanliness, and energy. And despite the depth of these problems and their difficulty to overcome, Egyptian citizens welcomed Dr. Mohamed Morsi's plan, in hopes it will be implemented within the specified time period. Reporter, Female #2 Traffic, a loaf of bread, cleanliness, energy and security. These are five of the needs of the Egyptian people. For many years, some of these needs have not been met, and have been described by some as chronic problems, while other issues have even deteriorated recently. And because these five needs are most relevant to the citizens' everyday life, and since a shortage in any one of them quickly impacts the people, the new Egyptian President Dr. Mohamed Morsi has made these issues his priority. Guest Male #1 These are behaviors that will not be changed easily. Security, the economy, and all these things will need a change in behavior the same way they need material and money. Money is not easy to get, but behavior is very important. Guest, Male #2 The sewage system is non-existent; the slums are dirty; when bakeries receive 14 sacks of flour, they make bread with three and they sell the rest. All of these are known problems. Of course the thugs who want bread go and get it, but honest people don't get anything. Guest, Male #3 When it comes to everything else, the people would probably have not cared, but it's different for bread. Everyone consumes it, and as you can see there are lines for bread everywhere, it is a big problem. As for security, no one trusts their safety on the street anymore. If he accomplishes this in only 100 days, it will be a great achievement, and he would have fulfilled some of the people's demands. Reporter, Female #2 Dr. Mohamed Morsi promised to make tangible reforms that will impact the people within the first 100 days of his term in office. And although it is a short period of time, these social problems are ingrained and very difficult to overcome, but must be tackled. The Egyptian people are now aware, and will be able to recognize the changes impacting their lives. Guest, Male #4 I don't want him to only care about Cairo; I want him to care for us in Upper Egypt, and to care about all the people. Guest, Male #5 We should all support Dr. Mohamed Morsi to see if these five needs will be met, and if his Renaissance project will be implemented or not. If it does not, then the Egyptian people will have a say about it. Reporter, Female #2 Despite the importance of the five problems that Dr. Mohamed Morsi is planning on tackling first, he still has another long list of problems that await him. Some are economic and others are social, in addition to the issues in the health and education sectors. The people are depending on a president they've long been waiting for, so that president can ease the suffering that has accompanied every part of their lives for a long time. Suzanne Mostafa, Nile TV. ** Contact Mosaic News: mosaicnews{at}linktv{dot}org http://news.linktv.org/videos/democracy-now-june-25-2012?start=1411 As the Rio+20 Earth Summit ends in disappointment, Democracy Now! is joined by the leading Canadian scientist, environmentalist and broadcaster David Suzuki to discuss what did and didn't happen at the largest UN conference ever. Mon, 25 Jun 2012 13:47:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/democracy-now-june-25-2012 Paraguay, Fernando Lugo, Federico Franco, Rio+20, Earth Summit, Coup d'état, Egyptian presidential election, 2012, Mohamed Morsi, Muslim Brotherhood, David Suzuki As the Rio+20 Earth Summit — the largest U.N. conference ever — ends in disappointment, we're joined by the leading Canadian scientist, environmentalist and broadcaster David Suzuki. As host of the long-running CBC program, "The Nature of Things," seen in more than 40 countries, Suzuki has helped educate millions about the rich biodiversity of the planet and the threats it faces from human-driven global warming. In 1990 he co-founded the David Suzuki Foundation which focuses on sustainable ecology and in 2009, he was awarded the Right Livelihood Award. Suzuki joins us from the summit in Rio de Janeiro to talk about the climate crisis, the student protests in Quebec, his childhood growing up in an internment camp, and his daughter Severn's historic speech at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 when she was 12 years-old. "If we don't see that we are utterly embedded in the natural world and dependent on Mother Nature for our very well-being and survival ... then our priorities will continue to be driven by man-made constructs like national borders, economies, corporations, markets," Suzuki says. "Those are all human created things. They shouldn't dominate the way we live. It should be the biosphere, and the leaders in that should be indigenous people who still have that sense that the earth is truly our mother, that it gives birth to us. You don't treat your mother the way we treat the planet or the biosphere today." The U.N. conference on sustainable on sustainable development known as the Rio+20 Earth Summit has concluded with few successes to report. Negotiators unveiled an agreement that sets new development goals and lays the groundwork for future talks. Many groups working on environmental and poverty issues have criticized the agreement for being too weak. Greenpeace called it "An epic failure." Politicians such as Nick Clegg of Britain called "insipid," and some protesters protested final text by ripping it up and renaming the summit "Rio minus 20." The gathering came 20 years after the 1992 U.N. Earth Summit in Rio when leaders pledged to protect the planet by endorsing treaties on biodiversity and climate change. At that meeting, a 12-year-old Canadian girl named Severn Cullis-Suzuki made a riveting plea to world leaders. My dad always says, you are what you do, not what you say. Well, what you do makes me cry at night. You grown-ups say you love us, but I challenge you, please, make your actions reflect your words. Thank you. Severn Cullis-Suzuki, then the age of 12, delivering her famous address at the 1992 first Earth U.N. Earth Summit that took place in Rio. Two decades later, Severn was back in Rio, this time as a veteran international environmental campaigner and mother of two. Democracy Now! spoke to her from Rio on Friday and asked her about what progress had been made since 1992. 20 years have passed and everybody wants to know, what have we done? How have we progressed? Well, last week, scientists released a report in the academic journal, Nature, that suggested that we are pushing for a tipping point in the earth's biosphere, that we are attacking our ecosystems that sustain us and all life on this earth in so many ways and levels that we are pushing for a state shift like what was seen 12,000 years ago with the end of the last ice age, but this time it will be human-caused and it will be order of magnitude faster than the 1000-year transition that happened last time. I mean, that report released on the eve of this world summit is clear that we have not achieved the sustainable world we knew we needed 20 years ago. Severn Cullis-Suzuki, now mother of two. She delivered the famous Rio address in 1992 at the age of 12. Today we bring you our interview with Severn's father, David Suzuki, one of Canada's leading environmental lists. We spoke to him just after speaking with Severn. He is perhaps best known as host of the long-running CBC program, The nature of things, see in over 40 countries. In 2009 David Suzuki was awarded the Right Livelihood Award. His latest book is, "Everything Under the Sun: Toward a Brighter Future on a Small Blue Planet." I began by asking David Suzuki if anything has changed since his daughter delivered that famous address 20 years ago. Absolutely not. We're going backwards. Certainly from the standpoint of my country, Canada, said that it was playing a leadership role at Rio '92. Here there's just been no question, Canada is a laggard. We are a global outlaw, renegade country. But, overall, the science is in, the planet is in terrible shape. The difficulty is that meetings like this are doomed to fail because we see ourselves at the center of everything. And our political and our economic priorities have to dominate over everything else. If we do not come to gather and say, look, let's start with the agreement that we are biological creatures, and if you do not have air for more than three or four minutes you are dead, if you don't have clean air you are sick, so surely, air, the atmosphere that provides us with the seasons, the weather, the climate, that has to be our highest priority before anything economic or political. That has to be the highest priority. But what you're getting is a huge gathering, as we saw in Copenhagen two years ago, a huge gathering of countries trying to negotiate something that does not belong to anyone to through the lenses of all of the political boundaries and economic priorities, and we try to shoehorn nature into our agenda. It simply is not going to work. A meeting like this is doomed to fail because we haven't left our vested interests outside the door and come together as a single species and agreed what the fundamental needs are for all of humanity. So we're going to sacrifice the air, the water, the biodiversity all in the sake of human political and economic interest. They're doomed to. David Suzuki, in 2008, you urged McGill University students to speak out against politicians who fail to act on climate change and said "What I would challenge you to do is put a lot of effort into trying to see whether there is a legal way of throwing our so-called leaders into jail because what they're doing is a criminal act." Do you still feel the same way today? What exactly are the crimes being committed? Absolutely. Absolutely. I think there are a number of — You can charge people who are at a scene, where someone is being murdered, and if you do not do anything to try to help that, you can be charged with criminal negligence. If something is going on that you should know about and you ignore it deliberately, then that is called willful blindness. That is a legal category for taking people to court. I think what we have to also find is a mechanism to judge people and to make them accountable for the implications of what they do or do not do for future generations. That is, there should be a category of intergenerational crime. You come here 20 years later, how many of the political leaders that were here in 1992 are now here again? Very, very few, if any. So, these guys come, they make a lot of nice words and they say, we care about this, we're going to do that. Nobody holds them accountable because they go out of office, they go on to become billionaires or whenever they do. But who is accountable for the lack of any kind of profound activity? When Democracy Now! was at the U.N. Climate Change conference in Durban this past December, I spoke with Marc Morano who published Climate Depot, a climate website run by climate denier group, Committee for Constructive Tomorrow. I asked him about President Obama's record on climate change. This is what he said. MARC MORANO: His nickname is George W. Obama. Obama's negotiator, Todd Stern, will be here today. They have kept the exact same principles and negotiating stance as President George Bush did for eight years. Obama has carried on Bush's legacy. So as skeptics, we tip our hat into President Obama in helping crush and continue to defeat the United Nations process. Obama has been a great friend of global warming skeptics at these conferences. Obama has problems for us because he is going through the EPA regulatory process, which is a grave threat. But, in terms of this, President Obama could not have turned out better when it came to his lack of interest in a congressional climate bill and his lack of interest in the United Nations Kyoto Protocol. So, a job well done for President Obama. That was Marc Morano of the climate denier group Committe for a Constructive Tomorrow saying President Obama is basically their best ally, calling him George W. Obama. Do you share that assessment, David Suzuki? You know, Obama was signaled sea-change in the American politics in the United States. Unfortunately, he's held hostage and he made some fundamental opponents right from the beginning that were fantastic, really top-notch scientists heading NOAA, heading the Energy Department. This was a sea-change. You think of a Nobel Prize winner being appointed the minister, or what ever you call him, secretary of energy. These are huge changes. The reality though, is he is held hostage by an absolutely dysfunctional congress. And he is held hostage by the corporate agenda, which is still a primary obligation that politicians have, even though has been very successful at getting that grassroots support. The fact is that corporations hold a huge hammer over the heads of our elected representatives and they are calling the shots. The economic system is the driving force that is destroying the planet, but now it is the corporations that are setting the direction and they're calling the shots. I think that it is not that Mr. Obama is like George Bush, because he is definitely not, but he is held hostage by the same system within which Bush operated. I want ask about the Canada Keystone XL pipeline. Just two months after President Obama rejected the project after mass protests where more than 1200 people were arrested around the White House last summer, he announced his support for TransCanada to build the southern leg of the pipeline from Oklahoma to Texas. In his remarks, President Obama said his administration has authorized enough gas pipelines to encircle the earth. PRESIDENT OBAMA: There is a bottleneck right here because we cannot get enough of the oil to our refineries fast enough. If we could, then we would be able to increase our oil supplies at a time when they are needed as much as possible. Right now, a company called TransCanada has applied to build a new pipeline to speed more oil from Cushing to state-of-the-art refineries down in the Gulf coast. Today, I'm directing my Administration to cut through the red tape, break through the bureaucratic hurdles, and make this project a priority to go ahead and get it done. TransCanada has reapplied for a permit to build a 1,200 mile segment from Alberta, Canada to Steel City, Nebraska, just this past Friday, the U.S. State Department said it would conduct a new environmental impact statement on the Keystone XL pipeline. Talk about the significance of the project, the role of activists in stopping it, then President Obama being slammed afterwards. Republicans in congress said it would pass legislation in Congress because he, in a very poor economy, was stopping people from getting jobs to build it. David Suzuki, your answer to jobs versus the environment. That has always been the dichotomy that's thrown up. But we have not looked at the real job opportunities that lie from taking a completely different direction. Obama's statement shows that he is captain of the oil industry as are most governments on this planet. He had an opportunity to really offer Americans the real job creator, which is in renewable, sustainable energy, greater energy efficiency, getting us off the oil addiction that we have. It is going to run out. It's going to run out. We are going to more and more extreme sources of energy. This is the moment that we should create the opportunity to go down a different path. I just came back from Japan where they had an absolute disaster that was an opportunity. They have shut down every single one of the 54 nuclear plants they have. They have an opportunity to take a totally different path. Japanese people cut their energy use by 25% immediately after Fukushima. They showed there was huge opportunity there. Instead, the government simply wants to get those plants up and running again. The nuclear industry, the fossil fuel industry have an enormous hammer over our elected representatives and it really is up to civil society. I think in the U.S., you're in deep trouble right now because of the huge support for parties that want to take us back to the past, the Tea Party and all of that are taking us away from having an opportunity for civil society to really contribute. I think we are really in a crisis when Sir Martin Rees, one of the leading scientists in Britain, the Royal Astronomer, was asked on BBC, what are the chances that human beings will survive to the end of this century? This is whether we will still be around. His answer was, 50/50. 50/50 that human beings will avoid extinction? I mean, surely to goodness we ought to be on an absolute crisis mode and getting off all of this rhetoric being fostered by the fossil fuel industry and nuclear industry and get on to a truly sustainable path. On Wednesday, French President Francois Hollande held a brief news conference and said he saw in green economy a path to overcome the economic crisis. FRANCOIS HOLLANDE: Some people say there's an economic and financial crisis and therefore the issues related to the environment and sustainable development may be set aside and may be treated separately, and that there would not be much pressure. This is not how I reason. I believe that the lasting development, the environment, which will also call green economy, is also a means of overcoming the crisis. That's the new French president, a Socialist, Francois Hollande, speaking at Rio+20. David Suzuki, to you feel there is a counterweight to the corporations and the climate change deniers? The green economy will simply allow the corporations to make a shift. You can see it in Exxon. Exxon, one of the companies that have spent tens of millions of dollars denying climate change, denying any responsibility, taking government subsidies on a massive scale, now their ads are all about, we want a clean future, we're looking at clean energy and all that stuff. Sure, the green economy is just about being more efficient, being less polluting, being less energy intensive, but still it's a system built on the need to continue to expand and grow. The true economy has got to come back into balance with the very biosphere that sustains us. I think a lot of people just see the green economy as a different way of allowing the corporate agenda to continue to flourish. We have got to change the economy and we have to do what we did in 1944 when governments came to Bretton Woods in Maine, and said we have got to develop an economic system for a post-war world. And they designed, they instituted GATT, the General Agreement of Tariffs and Trade. They invented the World Bank, the IMF. They tied world currency to the American greenback. But they left out the environment. It's time for a Bretton Woods II. We have got to overhaul the economy. You cannot change nature, but you can change our inventions like corporations and the economy. They have got to change. So, greening the economy that is itself a totally destructive system because it is bent on exploiting resources unsustainably and growing forever, that is got to be overhauled, it doesn't work. Leading Canadian environmentalist David Suzuki. We will continue our interview Canada's environmentalist just after our break. You can visit www.democracynow.org for in-depth coverage of Rio+20. The Rio+20 Earth Summit has concluded. We're returning to our conversation with Canada's leading environmentalist David Suzuki. I spoke to him about the largest U.N. conference ever and asked him about his own family background and how he became the renowned environmentalist he is today. I was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1936. My mother and father were born in Vancouver in 1909 and 1911. I am what Japanese call a third generation Canadian. My mother and father had never been out of Canada. They were citizens all their lives. They could not vote until after World War II. When World War II happened, although we were full Canadians by birth, we were regarded as enemy aliens as were Japanese Americans. We were incarcerated in camps. And then as the war was coming to an end, we were told that we had two choices, we could sign up and get a one-way ticket to Japan, which for us was a foreign country, or get out of British Columbia and go east to the Rockies. Because we only knew Canada, we went east to the Rockies and I ended up in Ontario. After the war, my parents said the way out of our poverty was hard work and education. Fortunately, both of those things were possible for me. And then at very amazing thing happened. I was offered a scholarship from an American college that was worth more than my father earned in a year. In 1954, Amherst College in Massachusetts offered me a scholarship for $1,500 because Amherst believed that foreign students added to the education of American students, and they were willing to pay money to have a foreign student come and be part of that college. For me, Amherst College made me as a scholar and I'm ever grateful to the United States for that. In 1957 when I was entering my last year in college at Amherst, on October 4th, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik. We had no idea there was a space program. In the months that followed, we saw the American rockets takeoff and explode either on the launching pad or once they got into the air they exploded. Meanwhile, the Soviets launched the first animal, a dog, Laika, the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin, the first team of cosmonauts, the first woman, Valentina Tereshkova. Americans realized, holy cow, the Soviets are very advanced in science and technology. They did not roll over and say, my God, they've got to big a lead, we can't afford to do this, it will destroy the economy. They simply said, we have got to go and beat these guys. Even though I was a Canadian, living in the states at the time, all you had to do was say, I love science, and Americans just supported you, threw you into universities, and I got a graduate education and training that I could never have gotten in Canada. Well, what happened, Kennedy declared a race to the moon. Americans are not only the first and only country to reach the moon, but think of all of the spinoffs, the unexpected spinoffs that came from that commitment to beat the Russians. I mean you've got 24-a-day newscasts. Well, maybe that is not such a great thing. But, you've got GPS, you've got cellphones, all of the things that came about simply because America said, we've got to make the commitment and we've got to beat the Russians to the moon. And it doesn't make sense to me that there is all this sense of, oh my God, we can't get off fossil fuels, it will destroy the economy. This is not the American way. The American way is to meet that challenge and realize huge things will happen once we make the commitment. We can't anticipate. Certainly in solar panels, certainly in geothermal energy, there are huge opportunities. The America that I knew and loved would have said, this is a challenge, American know-how will lead the world and create jobs at the same time. So, I'm astounded at the position the United States is in today compared to what it was like when I graduated from Amherst College. David Suzuki, I wanted to ask about the mass student protests that have been taking place in Quebec province. You wrote in a recent piece, governments all across Canada have no qualms about investing vast amounts of money to exploit natural resources yet they all but ignored the most precious — our children. In the U.S., there is very little written about or very little coverage of these mass student protests that have been taking place, some of the largest in Canada. Talk about what you see has to happen. Quebec is a very, very different society. I am very proud that they have remained in Canada. They reflect a great deal of value difference so that the environment, for example on Environment Day this year, attracted 300,000 people on the streets of Montreal for Earth day. They attracted over 100,000 people objecting to the student tuition increase. Now the English press in Canada has portrayed this as, these spoiled brats in Quebec, they don't realize they've got cheapest tuition in all of Canada and they are objecting to a few hundred dollars tuition raise. No, that is not what it is about. They're saying they'd like to look to countries like the Scandinavian countries, even France, where young people are regarded as the most precious commodity, where they are supported and their universities are free if they reach a certain level of ability. They're supported through the system, and that is what the Quebecois are trying to tell us. But no, we portray this as spoiled kids that don't want to spend any more money. I do not think that is what it is. But of course Charest, the Premier, who in some areas is quite progressive in the environment, for example, but Charest has brought in really very severe draconian legislation to suppress this kind of public dissent. And now that is what's attracting more kids to the streets to say, this is not a civil society any longer when you suppress us in that way. What underlies a student protest is a very profound question about, what are our values in our society? David Suzuki, your long-running show CBC show, called The Nature of Things, explores environmental diversity of the planet. Can you talk about some of the experiences and discoveries that have had the most impact on you? And in these last few minutes, because climate change is so little addressed while weather is increasingly on every channel and is as extreme weather, severe weather, the other two words, global warming, rarely flash, if ever, on the networks. Can you talk about what is at stake for people to even understand — since in the U.S., it's even a debate given the amount of money oil companies pour into the global warming denier groups — it's even a debate whether in fact this really is a concern. It's astonishing to me because I want to remind your viewers that in 1992, an American president had declared himself — well, in 1988, he said, if you vote for me, I promise I will be an environmental President. That was George H.W. Bush. There wasn't a green bone in his body but the American public had put the environment at the top of its agenda. He had to say that. Many people say, George Bush came to Rio in 1992 so he should be recognized for that. George Bush was not going to come to Rio unless they watered down the climate convention. They were aiming at the original plans, were for a 20% reduction in greenhouse emissions in 15 years. George Bush said, I am not going, until he got a much watered-down target of stabilization of 1990 levels by the year 2000, and he came down and signed that. But, his actions were predicated on American concern about the environment. Since then, of course, we have gone into recessions. But, I think we have not recognized that we've got people like the koch brothers, you got these right-wing think tanks, Competitive Enterprises Institute, the Heartland Institute, the Heritage Institute, that are all now pushing a radical right-wing agenda funded by fossil fuel industry and rich people to say, this is not true. Which is undermining scientific credibility. June 7, this year, Nature is filled with articles from scientists who have looked at the ecosystems of the planet. We are in deep trouble. We are facing an absolute crisis now. But countries like Canada and the United States, which are endowed with huge resources, can float by on the assumption everything is OK. We don't see the crunch coming as poor countries like [in] Europe are seeing. They do not have the kind of resource plenty that we have in North America. And so they are seeing it and leading the call for change. But, we have the illusion that the economy is the source of everything that matters and we have got to keep that growing at all costs. It's at all costs to the future for our children and grandchildren. Speaking of children and grandchildren, in 1992, David Suzuki, you were in Rio with your daughter Severn Cullis-Suzuki who was then 12, who gave this remarkable address to the Rio summit, the first Earth Summit. You don't know how to bring the salmon back up a dead stream. You don't know how to bring back an animal, now extinct. And you can't bring back the forest that once grew where there is now a desert. If you do not know how to fix it, please, stop breaking it. That was Severn Suzuki, David, that was your daughter. It is 20 years later and you are now back in Rio with Severn, who is now Severn Cullis-Suzuki, with your grandchildren her two sons. Can you talk about what it meant to you, for her to give that address 20 years ago and where you see we are now? Well, it was a remarkable speech, and at the end of her talk, she got a standing ovation. She went back to sit with us. Al Gore came up and said, that's the best speech anyone has given at this conference. The power of her speech — which, by the way, she and the other kids together wrote. Her mom and I didn't have any input. She said, dad, I know what I want to say, I want you to tell me how to say it. But, she wrote that speech, and a child speaks from the heart. You know that there is no hidden agenda. They just speak in that child-like way of innocence. That was the power — her words had power because they came from that kind of innocence. Now she's back. She's brought her youngest son. The only reason I'm here is because I said, Sev, I don't believe these conferences achieve anything but I will go as your baby sitter and I am here as the baby sitter. You just happened to corral me because I'm here looking after the baby — I've got to get back and take care of my grandson. But, I can tell you, she feels unbelievably desperate because she says the problem is that we have got to break down in-governance. Leaders came in 1992. They were moved by a child's plea, a child's request to do something for her future, and now those leaders aren't here and there is no one accountable for the fact they have failed fundamentally. Now there is a new set of leaders and they're making the same kind of promises without any understanding of the urgency of the crisis we face. So she comes to this with a — from a very dark place. By the disillusionment of her child-like belief that our leaders will truly lead and care about a future for her children. Now she has got an investment into the future in that makes her even more desperate about the lack of governance. David, talking about taking care of your grandson. If you were in charge, if he could have anything accomplished right now, what are the steps that you feel are most important to take right now? Well, the thing we hear over and over again is that we need a paradigm shift. It has become a cliche. But, I absolutely believe this is a critical change, that all of the stuff that goes on will not achieve anything unless we ultimately see the world in a different way. You see, our beliefs, our values shape the way we look out at the world and the way we treat it. If we believe that we were here, placed here by God, that all of this creation is for us, it's for us to go and occupy, dominate, and exploit, then we will proceed to do that. That is the paradigm we now exist within. We're driven then by that sense that it's all there for us. We need to shift that to a better understanding that we are part of a vast web of interconnected species, that it is the biosphere, the zone of air, water, and land, where all life exists. It's a very thin layer around the planet. Carl Sagan told us that if you shrink the earth to the size of a basketball, the biosphere, the zone of air, water and land where all life exists, would be thinner than a layer of toward the center then a layer of Saran Wrap, and that's it. That's our home, but it's home to ten to thirty millions other species that keep the planet habitable. And if we don't see the that we are utterly imbedded in the natural world and dependent on nature, not technology, not economics, not science — we are dependent on Mother Nature for our very well being and survival. If we don't see that, then our priorities will continue to be driven by man-made constructs like national borders, economies, corporations, markets. Those are all human created things. They shouldn't dominate the way we live. It should be the biosphere. And the leaders in that should be the indigenous people who still have that sense, that the earth is truly are mother, that it gives birth to us. You don't treat your mother the way we treat the planet or the biosphere today. If we do not make that fundamental shift, then we will just go on, oh we got to be more efficient we got to have a green economy, and all that stuff, but we haven't fundamentally changed in our relationship with the biosphere. And if we do treat it in that way, what needs to happen? Well, I think then we have to reassess everything. I believe we have to start with the fundamental understanding that we are animals. Believe me, I have said that in many parts of the United States, and people get mighty pissed off when I tell children, don't forget we're animals. They say, don't call my daughter an animal, we're human beings. We don't even want to accept it our biological nature. But, as animals our absolutely highest need for survival and well being is clean air, clean water, clean soil that gives us our food, and energy from the sun that plants captured by photosynthesis. That's what we depend on. So, how could we, claiming to be intelligent, use air, water, and soil as a garbage can for our waist and the most toxic chemicals ever known on the planet as if somehow that's not going to have consequences. The minute you except that we are biological creatures, then our highest priorities become absolutely clear. That means stop all release of any kind of human created material into our surroundings until we learn ways to recycle that in mimic nature in how we create and then degrade those things. Then we have to say we are social animals; and as social animals, what is our most fundamental need? To me, this was shocking when I began to read the scientific literature. The most important thing we need is love. Children, to grow up to be fully formed and developed human beings, need love at very critical times in our development. If you look at children that grow up under very war torn conditions, in genocide or terrorism, and seeing children deprived of love, are fundamentally crippled physically and psychically. Well that means then that we need to work toward creating strong families and supportive communities. We need full employment, we need equity and justice and freedom from war, terror, and genocide. To me, those are my issues, because if you don't have that kind of society, you cannot have a sustainable environment. Hunger and poverty are my issues, because a starving person who finds an edible plant or animal, is not going to say, I wonder if this is an endangered species? They kill it and eat it. I would. And you probably you would too. So we've got to deal with these issues and then we say, we're spiritual beings and as spiritual animals, we need to understand that we're part of nature. That we emerge from nature and we return to it when we die. That there are forces out there that we will never understand or control. We need sacred places. To me, those are what we construct as a foundation of the way that we live. And then we say, how can we create an economy that will allow these fundamental needs that we have to be protected? How dow we construct a way of living as a species, protecting these values? But if we don't see what the primary needs are, then I just think that we're just playing at the edges and we're not being serious about reaching a truly sustainable future. That was David Suzuki, speaking from the Rio+20 Earth Summit in Brazil just before it concluded on Friday. More than 120 world leaders attended. Greenpeace called the summit an epic failure. David Suzuki is a Canadian author and environmentalist, best known for the long-running CBC program, The nature of Things and his latest book is, Everything Under the Sun: Toward a Brighter Future on a Small Blue Planet. Speaking of Canadian journalists and environmentalist, congratulations to Naomi Klein and Avi Lewis on the birth of their baby. Welcome to the world, Toma. http://news.linktv.org/videos/democracy-now-june-20-2012?start=3062 Leaders from more than 100 countries are meeting in Brazil for the Rio+20 Earth Summit, the largest UN conference ever. However, there has been little progress since the last UN Earth Summit in Rio 20 years ago, and expectations for the meeting are low. Wed, 20 Jun 2012 09:54:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/democracy-now-june-20-2012 Egyptian presidential election, 2012, Hosni Mubarak, Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, Egypt, Mohamed Morsi, Ahmed Shafiq, Coma, People's Assembly of Egypt, Muslim Brotherhood, Life support Leaders from more than 100 countries are meeting today in Brazil for the start of the Rio-plus-20 Earth Summit, the largest United Nations conference ever. The conference comes twenty years after the UN Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro pledged to protect the planet by endorsing treaties on biodiversity and climate change. Little has been done in the intervening years to reach development goals in areas like food security, water, global warming and energy. Although negotiators have already agreed on a draft document to be approved by world leaders, many groups working on environmental and poverty issues have criticized the draft agreement, saying it is far too weak. We go to Rio to speak with Kumi Naidoo, Executive Director of Greenpeace. http://news.linktv.org/videos/future-food-hunting-rare-plant-species-in-kenya?start=0 Kenyan botanist Paul Kirika and Tim Pearce from Kew Gardens in the UK are searching for rare plant species known as "crop wild relatives" in the mountains of Kenya that they believe could hold the key to human food security in a changing climate. Tue, 12 Jun 2012 15:15:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/future-food-hunting-rare-plant-species-in-kenya Food security, Seed bank, Crop wild relative, Kenya, Botany, Aberdare National Park, Crop diversity, Endangered species, Climate change, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Paul Kirika is the son of the famous Kenyan botanist, the late Mzee Kajui, and is now himself considered one of the most knowledgeable field botanists in East Africa. His work has taken him from the coastal forests to the mountaintops, from the humid lake region to the dry and remote northern areas and the dwindling forests around Nairobi. Together with Tim Pearce, a botanist from the UK, he has been struggling to find rare plant species in the mountains of Kenya that he believes could hold the key to human food security in a changing climate. http://news.linktv.org/videos/president-mutharika-dies-but-news-hidden-from-malawians?start=0 Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika has passed on after a heart attack, but citizens of Malawi have so far only heard the news from foreign sources. The 78-year-old leader was apparently rushed to a Lilongwe hospital on Thursday. Fri, 06 Apr 2012 16:03:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/president-mutharika-dies-but-news-hidden-from-malawians Bingu wa Mutharika, Malawi, Lilongwe, Joyce Banda, 2011 Malawian protests, President of Malawi, Blantyre, Food security, Heart attack, Democratic Progressive Party (Malawi) Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika has passed on after a heart attack, but citizens of Malawi have so far only heard the news from foreign sources. The 78-year-old leader was apparently rushed to a Lilongwe hospital on Thursday after collapsing but was pronounced dead on arrival. http://news.linktv.org/videos/president-mbingu-wa-mutharika-of-malawi-reported-dead?start=0 Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika has passed on after a heart attack, say reports. The 78-year-old leader was apparently rushed to a Lilongwe hospital on Thursday after collapsing but was pronounced dead on arrival. Fri, 06 Apr 2012 08:46:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/president-mbingu-wa-mutharika-of-malawi-reported-dead Bingu wa Mutharika, Malawi, Heart attack, Lilongwe, 2011 Malawian protests, African Union, President of Malawi, Food security, Dead on arrival, Hospital Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika has passed on after a heart attack, say reports. Quoting medical government sources, Reuters News Agency and the British Broadcasting Corporation say the 78-year-old leader was rushed to a Lilongwe hospital on Thursday after collapsing but was pronounced dead on arrival. However, there has been no official confirmation as yet. http://news.linktv.org/videos/earth-focus-exposed-the-ugly-side-of-food-production?start=708 UK's The Ecologist investigates how financial speculation is threatening the livelihood of Mexican farmers. Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:21:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/earth-focus-exposed-the-ugly-side-of-food-production Italy, Migrant worker, Overfishing, Food security, Poverty, Mexico, Citrus production, South Asia, Bangladesh, Shrimp UK's The Ecologist investigates how financial speculation is threatening the livelihood of Mexican farmers. http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-032812?start=608 The United Nations Children's Fund says malnutrition is increasing fast in some parts of Yemen, Press TV reports. UNICEF stated that 57 percent of the country's 2 million children are chronically malnourished, the highest level in the world after Afghanistan. Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-032812 Syrian Civil War, Palestinians, Yemen Uprising, Yemen, Syria, Libya, Hillary Clinton, Israel, Arab Spring - duplicate, Heglig The United Nations Children's Fund says malnutrition is increasing fast in some parts of Yemen, saying that 57 percent of the country's 2 million children are chronically malnourished, the highest level in the world after Afghanistan. Political turmoil has pushed the country to the brink of a humanitarian crisis. One of the hardest-hit areas is the Hudaydah region in the west, in which the percentage of general malnutrition has reached 31 percent. http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-031412?start=982 A joint survey by the World Food Program and the UN Children's Fund shows that five million Yemenis are in need of food assistance, while some five million others are at risk of becoming food-insecure due to conflict and rising food prices, Press TV reports. Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-031412 Israel, Iran, Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Afghanistan, Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel, Ceasefire, Panjwai shooting spree, Gaza, Iron Dome, Israeli Air Force Anti-regime rallies have been held across Yemen, including the capital Sana'a and the southern city of Taiz. Demonstrators want the restructuring of the army, demanding the dismissal of relatives of deposed ruler Ali Abdullah Saleh. They also want him and his aides to be prosecuted for the killing of nearly 2,000 protestors since the revolution began last year. A new survey has found that a quarter of the Yemeni people are in urgent need of food aid. The joint survey by the World Food Program and the UN Children's Fund shows that five million Yemenis are in need of food assistance. Some five million others are at risk of becoming food-insecure due to conflict and rising food prices. Acute malnutrition rates in some parts of the country are reported to be far higher than the WHO's threshold of 15 percent. Yemen is the poorest country in the Arab world, in part due to the former regime's widespread corruption. http://news.linktv.org/videos/food-for-nukes-deal-reached-with-north-korea?start=0 The US and North Korea have agreed to a deal that would send over 240,000 tons food aid to North Korea in exchange for a moratorium on their nuclear program and missile testing. Yul Kwon speaks with Stanford University's David Straub about the agreement. Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:16:00 -0800 http://news.linktv.org/videos/food-for-nukes-deal-reached-with-north-korea North Korea, Nuclear weapon, Food security, Sunshine Policy, Kim Jong-il, Korea, South Korea, Nuclear weapons testing, US Department of State, Kim Jong-un Yul Kwon: To help us understand what this agreement means, we're joined on Skype today by David Straub. Mr. Straub is associate director of the Korean Studies Program at the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center at Stanford University. Among other diplomatic jobs, he was head of the political section at the US embassy in Seoul and ran the State Department's Korea Desk in Washington, DC. Thanks for joining us today, David. Now first of all, the Al Jazeera report says that this deal was in the works even before Kim Jong-Il died and his son was thrust into power. What can you tell us about that? David Straub, Stanford University: Well, that's basically correct. The US and North Korea were negotiating last year, and I think they were close to finalizing this agreement during the month of November, just before Kim Jong-il died. So I think the fact that they've now finalized the agreement suggests that there's a great deal of continuity in North Korea under the new leadership. That's the good news. It would have been bad if they had not been able to finalize this agreement. It would have suggested that there are serious problems with the new leadership. Yul Kwon: So Kim Jong-un isn't exactly making a U-turn in terms of policy. But have circumstances in North Korea changed or worsened in the past year such that the regime is more anxious to make a deal now rather than later? David Straub: I don't think the situation has seriously deteriorated in North Korea, but it's probable that the new leadership there would like to show other people and the elite, as well as the people as a whole, that they're able to manage external threats and challenges. And also, North Korea is chronically short of food, and so under this deal, they're going to receive 240,000 tons of US food aid over the next year, and that will help alleviate the food shortage. Yul Kwon: Secretary of State Clinton sounded very cautious when she announced the deal, characterizing it as a "modest first step," and saying that the US will "watch closely and judge" North Korea by its actions. From your experience in dealing with North Korea, do you feel that this level of caution is warranted? David Straub: Yes, indeed. The North Koreans have, in their own mind, good reasons to keep nuclear weapons. And over the years, they've negotiated with US and others about eventually giving up those weapons, but so far, all they've been willing to do is negotiating suspension of various programs, various kinds of talks on the margins that have never led to them completely giving up their nuclear weapons. And in the meantime, they get various concessions and aid. So yes, we need to be realistic and cautious when dealing with the North Koreans. Yul Kwon: In contrast to the US, which gave a more tepid and cautious tone, North Korea by contrast, seemed a lot more positive when it released its statement about the moratorium. Was there anything about the statement that surprised you? David Straub: In the North Korean statement, they do say that when six-party talks are resumed, that the priority will be put on lifting sanctions on North Korea and providing North Korea with light-water nuclear reactors to provide energy. Now that's not in the American statement. And in fact, if you look at the North Korean statement, it doesn't say that there was agreement with the United States about this point. This is the North Koreans putting their negotiating position on the record. Yul Kwon: A moratorium on the nuclear program and missile testing implies that the stoppage is just temporary and that it could resume at some future point in time. What do you think the US could do to try to facilitate a more permanent solution? David Straub: Well the moratorium is indeed just a temporary measure. In fact, in the North Korean statement, it says that the moratorium on nuclear tests and missile launches will continue only as long as the talks are continuing. That means, obviously, continuing to North Korea's satisfaction. But what this does do is move us a step closer to being able to hold another round of six-party talks in Beijing on ending North Korea's nuclear weapons programs. And when we get there, if and when we get there, then it will be up to the six parties to have some very tough negotiations to try to reach a comprehensive agreement that will finally end North Korea's weapons programs. Yul Kwon: How do South Korea's upcoming elections play into this week's announcement? David Straub: South Korea this year has national assembly elections and a presidential election. And South Koreans have long been very divided by how to deal with North Korea. On the right, the position is typically similar to the United States. That is, North Korea must first move to give up its nuclear weapons, and as it does so, we'll be willing to remove sanctions and provide some assistance. The left in South Korea believes that North Korea will not respond positively to that and that the best way to get North Korea to give up nuclear weapons is to provide it with assurances, aid, and eventually to make North Korea believe that it no longer needs nuclear weapons to be secure. There's a possibility that the left will win the elections in South Korea, and if they do, they're going to pursue that kind of a policy, which usually is called a Sunshine Policy, that's significantly different than the policy of the Obama administration or of previous US administrations for the most part. So by having these talks with the North Koreans and possibly resuming six-party talks, the United States will be in a better position to try to cooperate with its South Korean ally if the progressives do win the elections this year. Yul Kwon: Thanks, David. David Straub is a former diplomat and Korea expert. In 2009, he helped Bill Clinton gain the release of two American reporters who'd been captured on the border with China. http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-011912?start=1147 A food crisis is looming on the horizon of Africa's Sahel region. This is according to a statement by the European Union's humanitarian aid commissioner predicting a food crisis over the coming months, and adding that people will suffer if no action is taken. Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-011912 Amsterdam, Iran, Sanctions against Iran, Israel, Yemen Uprising, Syrian Civil War, Asif Ali Zardari, Sahel, Azzun Atma, Portuguese Synagogue (Amsterdam) Presenter, Male #1 Repercussions of the African continent's crisis cast a shadow on many tensions and conflicts. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, this may lead to a food crisis and famine on the continent. Ibrahim al-Khali Karbal brings us the following report. Reporter, Male #1 A food crisis is looming on the horizon of Africa's Sahel region. This, according to a statement by the European Union's humanitarian aid commissioner, predicting a food crisis over the coming months, and adding that people will suffer if no action is taken. If this prediction is accurate, Africa's Sahel region will face the third crisis of this nature in just one decade. The five Sahel countries of Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Chad are the most susceptible to the threat of major food shortages over the coming months. Oxfam International also warned of what it referred to as the United Nations' "dangerous delay," as the first warning signs of the threat of famine in the Horn of Africa were visible in 2010. The organization said this delay leaves the region at risk of an acute drought that threatens the lives of 12 million people. Meanwhile, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees expressed growing concern about the lack of security in Somali refugee camps. There are nearly one million refugees scattered across the neighboring countries. The commission is recording cases of a lack of security that hinder the work of relief agencies in the area. In addition, political unrest is negatively affecting food security, especially in raw material-rich countries such as oil-rich Nigeria, and cocoa-rich Ivory Coast. UN experts believe unemployment and poverty are main problems in the continent due to the lack of diversification of value-added activities and qualified workers. The United Nations called on promoting development to reach their goal of reducing poverty. http://news.linktv.org/videos/viewchange-africas-last-famine?start=0 As drought and famine threaten the Horn of Africa, one farmer fights to guard her livelihood against a changing climate. See who's working in Africa and around the world to prove that hunger isn't inevitable in an all-new report from Oxfam America and ViewChange.org. Thu, 06 Oct 2011 09:37:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/viewchange-africas-last-famine Climate change, Food security, Sustainable agriculture, Oxfam, Drought, Ethiopia, 2011 Horn of Africa famine, Horn of Africa, Agriculture in Vietnam, Flood As drought and famine threaten the Horn of Africa, one farmer fights to guard her livelihood against a changing climate. See who's working in Africa and around the world to prove that hunger isn't inevitable in an all-new report from Oxfam America and ViewChange.org. http://news.linktv.org/videos/viewchange-africas-last-famine?start=630 <span style="color: #222244; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #f2f5f7;">This past World Food Day was marked by one of the worst famines in recent history. But, with the right planning and a few new ideas, it could be the last. Get the latest from the Horn of Africa and beyond in this special report from Oxfam America and ViewChange.org.</span> Thu, 06 Oct 2011 09:37:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/viewchange-africas-last-famine Climate change, Food security, Sustainable agriculture, Oxfam, Drought, Ethiopia, 2011 Horn of Africa famine, Horn of Africa, Agriculture in Vietnam, Flood Nine hundred and twenty-five million people on our planet are hungry. That's more than the population of the US, Canada, and the European Union combined. And within the next four decades, up to 200 million more people could face hunger as a result of climate change. Climate change brings uncertainty: sometimes too much rain, or too little. It means unpredictable harvests. http://news.linktv.org/videos/viewchange-africas-last-famine?start=962 <span style="color: #222244; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #f2f5f7;">This past World Food Day was marked by one of the worst famines in recent history. But, with the right planning and a few new ideas, it could be the last. Get the latest from the Horn of Africa and beyond in this special report from Oxfam America and ViewChange.org.</span> Thu, 06 Oct 2011 09:37:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/viewchange-africas-last-famine Climate change, Food security, Sustainable agriculture, Oxfam, Drought, Ethiopia, 2011 Horn of Africa famine, Horn of Africa, Agriculture in Vietnam, Flood The drought in the horn of Africa may be the center of attention today, but it's not the only region grappling with an unpredictable climate. Farmers in Vietnam are used to dealing with seasonal floods, but thanks in part to climate change, droughts are a fact of life now too. Vietnam is a prime candidate for the insurance programs being tested in Ethiopia, but in the meantime, uncertainty reigns here. This short from Oxfam shows how farmers are learning to weather droughts and floods alike. http://news.linktv.org/videos/global-seed-vault-near-north-pole-preserves-biodiversity?start=0 The Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway is much more than just a place to store seeds. It has been designed to withstand almost any disaster, and it could play a vital role in ensuring continued food supplies and biodiversity for future generations. Tue, 19 Jul 2011 08:36:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/global-seed-vault-near-north-pole-preserves-biodiversity Agriculture, Crop diversity, Seed bank, Food security, Svalbard Global Seed Vault, Svalbard, Global warming, Climate change, Gene bank, Global Crop Diversity Trust The Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway is much more than just a place to store seeds. It has been designed to withstand almost any disaster, and it could play a vital role in ensuring continued food supplies and biodiversity for future generations. http://news.linktv.org/videos/jonathan-watts-on-chinas-sustainability?start=0 The environment is now recognized as a security issue in China, but how is the Chinese leadership responding? The choices that the world's most populated country makes in the years ahead will have global impact. Thu, 03 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0800 http://news.linktv.org/videos/jonathan-watts-on-chinas-sustainability China, Pollution, Environment, Food security, Water pollution, Water crisis, Jonathan Watts, The Guardian, Earth Focus Earth Focus speaks with Jonathan Watts, Asia environmental correspondent for UK's The Guardian about his new book "When a Billion Chinese Jump". Watts traveled more than 100,000 miles across China, looking at cancer villages, toxic air and water pollution and issues that may affect China's ability to feed itself -- melting glaciers and acute water shortages. The environment is now recognized as a security issue in China and Watts addresses how the Chinese leadership is responding. The choices that the world's most populated country makes in the years ahead will have global impact.