WATCH WHAT WE TELL YOU--Guardian.UK--New WMW

[Gloria]

Excerpts, links up now at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical
Tomorrow at Buzzflash.com

WORLD MEDIA WATCH FOR NOVEMBER 28, 2003

1//Asia Times Online, Hong Kong--RALLY OF THE REALISTS (After two years of dominating United States foreign policy, are unilateralist hawks in the administration of President George W Bush losing power to the so-called realists whom they have long disdained? Although internal fights within the administration on issues such as policy towards Syria, Iran and North Korea remain fierce, there are growing indications that the influence of the hawks, neo-conservatives in particular, is on the wane.)



2//The Moscow Times, Russia--GEORGIAN REGIONAL BOSSES IN MOSCOW (Leaders of three independent-minded Georgian regions were to meet late Thursday to discuss what one of them described as "purely economic issues" but what in reality looked like a blunt warning to Tbilisi that any use of force against them could trigger the country's disintegration…After seeing Saakashvili and his allies oust Shevardnadze, Abashidze introduced a state of emergency in Adzharia and hinted that the region may even secede if the new Georgian leadership tries to force it into submission. He also has said Adzharia might not take part in presidential and parliamentary elections. The parliamentary vote also is on Jan. 4.)



3//The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippines--FEAR OF POE DRAGS PESO TO ALL-TIME LOW;STOCKS FALL (The presidential bid of popular actor Fernando Poe Jr. spooked Philippine financial markets Thursday, pulling the peso down to an all-time low of 55.85 to the dollar and pulling share prices down by nearly two percent…Adding to the market worries was a finding of an independent polling group that Poe, a high school dropout with no record of public service, had a fair chance of succeeding President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and dashing her hopes of winning a fresh six-year term.)



4//The Sydney Morning Herald, Australia--TAIWAN CHALLENGES CHINA WITH REFERENDUM LAW (Taiwan's parliament passed a clause in a bill yesterday to allow referendums to be held on sensitive issues such as changing the island's name and constitution, despite warnings from China…"If a referendum law that sets no limits passes, I believe we will make a strong reaction," Zhang Mingqing, a spokesman for the Chinese Government's Taiwan Affairs Office, said during a televised news conference on Wednesday. "Without a doubt, we will have a strong reaction. As to what the reaction will be, you will know in a few days.”)


5//The Guardian, UK--WATCH WHAT WE TELL YOU (There are times, living in Italy, when you need to go and look at a computer showroom or a six-lane highway just to remind yourself you really are in an advanced, developed nation…But it was arguably what happened this week that gives rise to the greatest concern, for it brought into the open as never before the way in which the prime minister's followers and employees can now limit what is shown on the other big, state-owned channels. His TV group Mediaset announced it wanted 20 million euros in damages from Italy's public broadcaster, RAI, and the producers of a satirical programme featuring a comedienne, Sabina Guzzanti…RAI's executives, it has to be said, are in an impossible position. Parliament, to which they are ultimately responsible, is dominated by followers of the man who owns their direct competitor and who, as head of the government, is in a position to have laws framed that favour his own group's interests at the expense of the public broadcaster.)