To the Point

Iran-US Tensions Rising

With the Taliban and Saddam Hussein no longer in charge of Afghanistan or Iraq, neo-conservatives with influence on the Bush administration now have their sights on the mullahs who rule Iran. Although nobody is talking about military action yet, the White House is accusing Iran of harboring al Qaeda, building nuclear weapons and meddling in Iraq. What-s the evidence behind the charges? Will tough talk or possible action encourage the democracy movement or help the mullahs become more deeply entrenched? We speak with journalists from the US and Arab world, the director for the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies and Iran-s first ambassador to the United Nations about White House accusations against the Islamic regime and strategies for dealing with a country President Bush included in his -axis of evil.- Making News: New SARS Cases in Canada Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome is creating more turmoil in Canada. After two more deaths, bringing the total to 29, 5000 people have now been quarantined in Toronto. Tom Blackwell, who has covered the outbreak since the beginning for the National Post, says despite the government's call for voluntary quarantine, SARS' tremendous stress and strain are taking their toll on Canada-s healthcare system. Reporter's Notebook: Globalization in an Era of Turmoil As George Bush prepares to embark on the most ambitious trip of his Presidency, today-s Wall Street Journal reports that the globalization which promised so much in the 90-s may now be at risk. Daniel Yergin, author and executive producer of the PBS series The Commanding Heights, calls terrorism, SARS and financial crises -the dark side of globalization.-