Global
HARARE -- A showdown is looming between Zimbabwe
and the European Union (EU) over the African nation's refusal to
allow the European Union to monitor next year's presidential
elections.
Zimbabwe's foreign affairs minister, Stan Mudenge, has described as "thoughtless and futile" a demand by the European Union to be allowed to send its election monitors for the elections.
"That is how exactly we feel when people... come to us, even before we ourselves know the date of our elections to urge, insist and demand that they should be allowed to come by such and such a date and start assessing and observing," he said.
"It breeds suspicions and tempts others to ascribe sinister motives," said Mudenge, warning that Zimbabwe is a sovereign and independent state that can never take orders from any country.
Zimbabwe's foreign affairs minister, Stan Mudenge, has described as "thoughtless and futile" a demand by the European Union to be allowed to send its election monitors for the elections.
"That is how exactly we feel when people... come to us, even before we ourselves know the date of our elections to urge, insist and demand that they should be allowed to come by such and such a date and start assessing and observing," he said.
"It breeds suspicions and tempts others to ascribe sinister motives," said Mudenge, warning that Zimbabwe is a sovereign and independent state that can never take orders from any country.
Dear Editor,
In looking through the election results for the state I can't find a single race in which the top fundraiser lost. This local pattern reflects a national trend that was apparent in the New York City mayoral race (Michael Bloomberg outspent Mark Green by about $40 million), the governor's races in Virginia and New Jersey.
If the top fundraiser always wins then the campaign contributors decide who governs. This is no way to run a democracy. I suggest two changes in how we conduct elections so that the impact of contributors will be reduced.
First, the Board of Elections in each county should prepare an official voter's guide for each election. The guide should be mailed to every registered voter in the county, and in it each candidate should get some space - one or two paragraphs - to make his/her case directly to the voters. Similarly the proponents and opponents for each ballot measure should have a chance to explain their positions to voters. In California the state auditor produces a financial analysis of each ballot measure which is included in the voter's guide.
In looking through the election results for the state I can't find a single race in which the top fundraiser lost. This local pattern reflects a national trend that was apparent in the New York City mayoral race (Michael Bloomberg outspent Mark Green by about $40 million), the governor's races in Virginia and New Jersey.
If the top fundraiser always wins then the campaign contributors decide who governs. This is no way to run a democracy. I suggest two changes in how we conduct elections so that the impact of contributors will be reduced.
First, the Board of Elections in each county should prepare an official voter's guide for each election. The guide should be mailed to every registered voter in the county, and in it each candidate should get some space - one or two paragraphs - to make his/her case directly to the voters. Similarly the proponents and opponents for each ballot measure should have a chance to explain their positions to voters. In California the state auditor produces a financial analysis of each ballot measure which is included in the voter's guide.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 (IPS) -- Major U.S. corporations are
profiting far too much from the wave of patriotism that has swept
the country since the Sep. 11 terrorist attacks, say civic,
environmental and labour groups.
They are pressing Congress to delay action on a mounting pile of legislation which, if approved, would add to the windfall big business and the wealthy have collected over the last six weeks.
Since Sep. 11, "members of Congress have served up a non-stop buffet of corporate pork legislation," says Ralph Nader, the Green Party's presidential candidate last year and the founder of a network of U.S. public-interest and consumer groups.
"Under the guise of national security our federal treasury is being raided and our democratic rights are being taken away while Congress feeds sympathetic campaign contributors at taxpayer expense, sends working people to fight, and leaves the unemployed, the disenfranchised, and American families to suffer," Nader adds.
They are pressing Congress to delay action on a mounting pile of legislation which, if approved, would add to the windfall big business and the wealthy have collected over the last six weeks.
Since Sep. 11, "members of Congress have served up a non-stop buffet of corporate pork legislation," says Ralph Nader, the Green Party's presidential candidate last year and the founder of a network of U.S. public-interest and consumer groups.
"Under the guise of national security our federal treasury is being raided and our democratic rights are being taken away while Congress feeds sympathetic campaign contributors at taxpayer expense, sends working people to fight, and leaves the unemployed, the disenfranchised, and American families to suffer," Nader adds.
A senior U.N. official expressed
serious concern Tuesday over the erosion of human rights in the
wake of the Sep. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States.
Mary Robinson, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, told delegates that some countries -- which she refused to identify by name -- are introducing measures in apparent violation of core human rights safeguards.
Non-violent activities are being considered as terrorism in some countries while "excessive measures" are being taken to suppress or restrict individual rights, Robinson said. These restrictive measures cover rights to privacy, fair trial, asylum, political participation, freedom of expression, and peaceful assembly.
"We should be mindful of such fundamental principles as the presumption of innocence, non-discrimination and due process of law," she said.
Since Sept. 11, the United States has detained more than 1,000 people, largely Muslims or those of Middle Eastern origin, in its ongoing investigation of the terrorist attacks.
Mary Robinson, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, told delegates that some countries -- which she refused to identify by name -- are introducing measures in apparent violation of core human rights safeguards.
Non-violent activities are being considered as terrorism in some countries while "excessive measures" are being taken to suppress or restrict individual rights, Robinson said. These restrictive measures cover rights to privacy, fair trial, asylum, political participation, freedom of expression, and peaceful assembly.
"We should be mindful of such fundamental principles as the presumption of innocence, non-discrimination and due process of law," she said.
Since Sept. 11, the United States has detained more than 1,000 people, largely Muslims or those of Middle Eastern origin, in its ongoing investigation of the terrorist attacks.
AUSTIN, Texas -- Say, here's an item: A group of right-wing journalists
famed for their impartiality has set themselves up as the Patriotism Police.
No less distinguished a crowd than Rush Limbaugh, Matt Drudge, The New York
Post editorial page and the Fox News Channel --- quite a bunch of Pulitzer
winners there -- are now passing judgment on whether media outlets that do
actual reporting are sufficiently one-sided for their taste.
With the insouciance toward fact for which he is so noted, Limbaugh erroneously reported that Peter Jennings had been highly critical of President Bush for disappearing on Sept. 11. The Dittoheads flooded ABC with complaints. The bone of contention since has been over the reporting of civilian casualties in Afghanistan.
With the insouciance toward fact for which he is so noted, Limbaugh erroneously reported that Peter Jennings had been highly critical of President Bush for disappearing on Sept. 11. The Dittoheads flooded ABC with complaints. The bone of contention since has been over the reporting of civilian casualties in Afghanistan.
The twenty-first century truly began-politically, socially, and
psychologically-with two epochal events: the World Conference Against
Racism, held in Durban, South Africa this summer, and the terrorist attacks
of September 11 which destroyed the World Trade Center towers and part of
the Pentagon. These events were directly linked.
After billionaire Michael Bloomberg won the race to become New
York's next mayor, the French news agency AFP noted that he "was among the
first to see how the information age could serve investors in unprecedented
-- and lucrative -- ways." In recent months, Bloomberg's campaign spent at
least $50 million from his vast personal fortune, made possible by a media
environment teeming with reverence for accumulation of wealth.
Bloomberg News became a far-reaching wire service during the 1990s as financial news gradually loomed larger in mass media. The operative definition of "general interest news" kept tilting. Mainstream outlets steadily shifted resources and priorities to the business of covering business.
Back in 1970, when PBS launched "Wall Street Week" with Louis Rukeyser, the program was conspicuous. Now it's just one of many national TV shows -- most of them daily -- focusing on the quest for high returns. After "Moneyline" premiered on CNN in 1980, cable television news grew while embracing the world of investment. In 1989, General Electric opted to dedicate much of its startup news channel CNBC to the stock market.
Bloomberg News became a far-reaching wire service during the 1990s as financial news gradually loomed larger in mass media. The operative definition of "general interest news" kept tilting. Mainstream outlets steadily shifted resources and priorities to the business of covering business.
Back in 1970, when PBS launched "Wall Street Week" with Louis Rukeyser, the program was conspicuous. Now it's just one of many national TV shows -- most of them daily -- focusing on the quest for high returns. After "Moneyline" premiered on CNN in 1980, cable television news grew while embracing the world of investment. In 1989, General Electric opted to dedicate much of its startup news channel CNBC to the stock market.
The investigation into the assassination of Digna Ochoa is in the hands of
Mexico City’s Attorney General, not the Federal Attorney General, according
to President Vicente Fox. In a political dig at Mexico City Mayor Lopez
Obrador and an effort to distance his own administration from the
high-profile case, President Fox characterized the murder as “one more
incident that happened in Mexico City.” Fox went on to ‘offer Mexico City’s
Attorney General broad collaboration with information, with investigation,
but the responsibility is theirs.” Lopez Obrador said that the
assassination must be understood in the “context of paramilitaries and
caciques throughout the nation.”
Stubborn opposition by labor, public interest, and environmental
groups over the past several years stopped Clinton, and now Bush, from
gaining "expedited" "Fast Track" negotiation powers. Fast Track
legislation, if approved by Congress, would enable the White House to
circumvent public opposition and expand legally binding trade treaties
such as the WTO (a treaty which up until now has not been yet been
fully applied to agriculture). Fast Track would also help Bush
implement new corporate-instigated trade regimes such as the so-called
Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). Under Fast Track procedures,
Congress can only vote yes or no on new treaties proposed by the White
House, giving up for five years the power to modify or change trade
rules, even when these regulations supercede or nullify local, state,
or national laws in force in the US or other nations.
Fast Track lobbying and diplomatic arm-twisting is just the tip of the
iceberg. Other recent moves by government and industry on the biotech
front include the following: