French Fighting Anti-SemitismIn order to stem growing problems with anti-Semitism, the French educational system has suggested that schools show movies like “Schindler’s List” and “The Pianist”. The government also recommended using books like The Diary of Anne Frank and other depictions of the Holocaust in classrooms. The rising surge in anti-Semitic attitudes has been loosely connected with the conflict in the Middle East. France is home to western Europe’s largest Muslim population which has taken a strong pro-Palestinian attitude. Threats and attacks have risen to the highest level since the ’40s.

Palestinian Leader of Hamas Dead

Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the founder of the radical Palestinian movement Hamas, was killed with seven others in an Israeli airstrike on Monday, March 22. Abdel Aziz Rantisi, the replacement leader for Hamas, declared a continued war against Israel and America at the memorial service for the slain Yassin. In response, Israel claims it has the right to kill Hamas leaders, as Hamas is viewed as a terrorist organization. The U.S. vetoed the U.N. resolution to condemn the strike. Since September 2000, Israel has blamed Hamas for the deaths of 377 Israelis.

Budget Passes House of Reps

The House of Representatives approved the $2.4 trillion budget proposed by Republicans on Friday, March 26. The budget will increase funding for the Homeland Security department. Money was reserved for the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq; meanwhile some of President Bush’s proposed tax cuts were omitted. Democrats, who proposed their own budget bill, argued that Republicans didn’t include enough money for Homeland Security, veterans, education and domestic needs. The Democrats substitute budget was voted down.

Bush Advocates Universal Broadband

Last Friday in New Mexico, President Bush expressed his support for the growing broadband market. A high-speed access to the Internet, broadband is already in 20.6 million homes and small businesses. The U.S. supplies a fund that subsidizes telephone companies in rural areas and those who cannot afford them, and now the President has suggested that the same subsidies should extend to broadband.