In a departure from EU and US policy toward the Hamas-led Palestinian administration, Norway has resumed direct aid to Palestine.

"We hope our contribution will help to alleviate the current social crisis in the Palestinian Territory, particularly for the many extended families with only one breadwinner," said Norway's Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere.

"The critical situation in Gaza has many causes, but it has been exacerbated by social destitution and despair. It is therefore particularly important that the Palestinian authorities receive financial support from the international community," he said.

Poverty in Palestine is dire, and is getting worse.

Seven out of 10 households in the occupied Palestinian territories, or about 2.4 million Palestinians, are living in poverty.

Of course, Palestinian poverty is not only a humanitarian issue, but a political one. Hamas' refusal to recognize Israel's right to exist is a major stumbling block in negotiations for an Israeli-Palestinian peace settlement; by cutting off aid, the US and the EU hope to strangle off support for Hamas, leaving it no role in deciding the future of Palestine.

So is Norway wrong to interfere - to, in effect, undermine the US and the EU (of which it is not a member)?

"Everyone agrees a solution to this terrible conflict can only be achieved through negotiation, not by fighting." An Al Jazeera correspondent reports from the front lines of the war between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers.

"Mr. Bush's proposals differ radically from plans put forward by European countries ahead of the G8 summit." The BBC reports on Bush's announcement of America's goals for climate change.

"More than half a century": The LA Times tells us the White House envisions a long-term peacekeeping and conflict-deterring role for US troops in Iraq, similar to our continued presence in South Korea.

"It is always going to be difficult to make major inroads into drug production in Afghanistan without addressing the international demand for illicit drugs." The Christian Science Monitor explores the difficulties of dealing with Afghanistan's drug problem.

In the Horn of Africa, "the proliferation of small arms [has] continued to be a major security challenge." Irin reports on the devastating effects of a heavily-armed population in countries like Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Uganda.

Graphic violence in films, it is often said, desensitizes us, contributing to the proliferation of violence in our society. Why can't we just get by, concerned filmgoers ask, with the kind of portrayals of violence that one finds in old Westerns - a guy gets shot, he gasps and a small dark dot appears on his shirt, and then he slumps over peacefully . . . ?

My instinct is to say that violence in media does not necessarily translate into violence in society. Other factors - poverty, anomie, the availability of weapons, a "corrections" system that fails at rehabilitation, etc - seem more decisive to me in producing violence. One study (.pdf) even shows that crime temporarily drops after screenings of violent movies. Why? In part because people don't drink as much alcohol when they are watching movies.

Do I condone the violence that is in films like Saw, or the violence of "first-person shooter" video games? I don't condemn it, and what's more I don't play video games or watch dumb movies if I can help it. And I'm far more wary of censorship than I am of violence spilling out of the screen and into our streets.

But let's move beyond that tired discussion. Let's get to an often-ignored point in the discussion about media, violence, and entertainment: the depiction of graphic violence has a place in our entertainment industry and in our society when it is used to educate - even when that education comes at the price of our temporary discomfort.

John Hagee's nights "to honor Israel" do nothing to honor Israel. Instead, they bring to light some fundamental philosophical and theological differences between most modern Jews and a large portion of fundamentalist Christians.

Christians United for Israel, Hagee's organization, is led by several prominent far-right evangelical leaders, including the recently departed Jerry Falwell, Gary Bauer, and the head of the Christian Broadcasting Network, the channel that spews Pat Robertson's filth.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to honor the Jewish people and the Jewish state while advancing a homophobic, anti-feminist, anti-environmentalist (pdf), and theocratic political agenda. To truly honor the Jewish people, evangelicals should hearken to Jewish ideas of equality, social justice, religious liberty, and environmental stewardship. Until evangelicals abandon the politics of hate and divisiveness, many modern Jews will not be comfortable allying with them on the issue of Israel.

You've noticed the frequency with which one encounters Che Guevara's face these days. I'm sure of it. It's emblazoned on t-shirts, backpacks, stickers, posters, stencil graf, and I've got my eyes peeled for the Che lunchbox. No doubt you've also noticed people ambiguously referring to "the revolution," making all-knowing statements like "when the revolution comes…." or, less assuredly, "if the revolution happens…" It's all the rage with the kids these days. Che Guevara and revolution have become a phenomenon, a significant cultural symbol, a social indicator.

To wear a Che shirt is to cultivate your image, effectively self-market, and immediately announce "I am down with the cause." Forget the fact that the daily routine of the image bearer offers few clues as to what that cause may be. It's implied; it's the general, undefined "movement of the people" that reserves itself for future action, ready to spring like a tiger when called upon, dormant for the present.

China: Is China’s progress a fraud? Two imminent scholars go head to head on the issue. In other news, China’s policy on Internet censorship may be changing, as party officials call for more free access to the Internet for Chinese youth. And online porn continues to evade censors.

G8: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is traveling to Europe this week to meet with European leaders in Germany, Austria and Spain in preparation for next week's Group of Eight summit. The battle between state leaders and left-wing protestors has already begun.

Iran: Yesterday, Iran formally accused three Americans of espionage. The accused include two scholars and a journalist; the U.S. Department of State denies the “absurd” allegations. The accusations seem to undermine the peaceful talks between Iran and the U.S. in Baghdad this week.

U.S.: Findings from a study commissioned by the Intelligence Science Board suggest harsh interrogation techniques —such as those employed by CIA and Pentagon officials—may be counterproductive. If inhumanity is not a deterrent, perhaps science will be.

Sudan: As the Bush Administration pushes for tougher sanctions against the government of Sudan, critics criticize these measures. The New York Times says the sanctions will not affect oil exports, the country’s main source of wealth, while the San Francisco Chronicle calls for U.N. Security Council support and emphasizes the necessity of China’s compliance with the sanctions.

And more:
If the United States were a corporation, loses for the past year would amount to a whopping $1.3 trillion, meaning tax-payers on now on the hook for $59.1 trillion. Sounds like a fiscally irresponsible way to run a business, if you ask me.

Wal-Mart may struggle to overcome its cheap image as it tries to go upscale.

Lastly, a special shout-out to my lil sis who turns 21 today! Happy Birthday!

What's going on in your browser today? Share your thoughts below.

Hip hop's birthplace is in danger (free registration required).

In the nondescript building at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx, DJ Kool Herc invented the genre.

[Kool Herc] presided over the turntables at parties in that community room in 1973 that spilled into nearby parks before turning into a global assault. Playing snippets of the choicest beats from James Brown, Jimmy Castor, Babe Ruth and anything else that piqued his considerable musical curiosity, he provided the soundtrack savored by loose-limbed b-boys…

The future of vehicles.

New Russian ICBM "could penetrate any defense system."

Oxfam has a new approach to access to medicine.

Can you imagine a sun 100 times larger than ours? Astronomers can.

Obama takes the lead on health care.

The Center for Disease Control has issued the first federal quarantine in decades.

Hugo Chavez is sueing CNN.

Cindy Sheehan, disgusted with the war funding vote, has left the Democratic party. She is calling on all disgusted Americans to meet in Philadelphia on July 4th to figure a way out of the "two party system that is bought and paid for by the war machine which has a stranglehold on every aspect of our lives." I think I'll go.

Rants go in the comments, you know what to do.

I think we are all familiar with the dry erase board that hangs in virtually every warehouse across the country. The board reads something like: This Warehouse Has Been Injury-Free for __ Days. Each morning, provided there was no injury the day before, the floor manager changes that space before Days from 0 to 1, or 50 to 51, or if things run smoothly, 550 to 551. Unfortunately, injuries are inevitable, so one day the manager has to erase his ascertained number, and start back at 0 the next. Now I have to somehow tie this in with George Bush and the rest of this piece before you get bored and stop reading, but take my word here.

Every month, The Seminal writers get together and come out with a series of articles on one specific topic. Coming on June 1st, The Seminal explores our great neighbor to the North - Canada. Stay tuned for discussions about Canadian healthcare, foreign policy, drug enforcement, and other topics of interest, especially with respect to the United States.