PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU OF CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS ORDERS MUMIA ABU-JAMAL SUPPORT GROUP TO CEASE FUND RAISING ; A CONVERSATION WITH ROBERT FISK IN JERUSALEM, AND PROFESSOR NOAM CHOMSKY ; CONVERSATION WITH RALPH NADER AND WINONA LADUKE.
NEWS HEADLINES PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU OF CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS ORDERS MUMIA ABU-JAMAL SUPPORT GROUP TO CEASE FUND RAISING A state agency in Pennsylvania, Bureau of Charitable Organizations, has ordered the main non-profit fund-raising organization for imprisoned journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal - the International Concerned Families and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal - to stop soliciting contributions until it clears up what the Bureau calls questions about its finances. Guest: Pam Africa, International Concerned Families and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal. Related link: International Concerned Families and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal Story: THIS JUST IN FROM THE BBC: JOURNALISTS MAY NOT CALL ISRAELI KILLINGS OF TOP PALESTINIAN ACTIVISTS ASSASSINATION; A CONVERSATION WITH ROBERT FISK IN JERUSALEM, AND PROFESSOR NOAM CHOMSKY ON THE LANGUAGE OF DEATH AND THE ROGUE UNITED STATES Robert Fisk, wrote in Saturday's The Independent: In a major surrender to Israeli diplomatic pressure, BBC officials in London have banned their staff in Britain and the Middle East from referring to Israel's policy of murdering its guerrilla opponents as assassination. BBC reporters have been told that in the future they are to use Israel's own euphemism for the murders, calling them targeted killings. BBC journalists were astonished that the assignments editor, Malcolm Downing, should have sent out the memorandum to staff, stating that the word assassinations should only be used for high-profile assassinations There were, Mr. Downing said lots of other words for death. Up to 60 Palestinian activists and numerous civilians, including two children last week have been gunned down by Israeli death squads or missile-firing Israeli helicopter pilots. Guest: Robert Fisk, reporter for The Independent. Related link: The Independent On Sunday the New York Times headlined that after six months, the Bush Administration was planning a change of focus. The Times explained that Bush would now focus his attention on a vigorous discussion of values, and an emphasis on themes that strike Americans in a more emotional, personal way. As the Times rhapsodized about the Bush Administrations change in focus, the U.S. Navy continued bombing Vieques. The DEA resumed its aerial fumigation of Columbia. Condaleeza Rice continued to warn that the U.S. might bomb Iraq at any time. Colin Powell continued to insist that the UN bow to U.S. demands in its upcoming world conference on racism. And U.S. officials of all stripes continued to defend U.S. efforts to undermine or scuttle of international agreements on global warming, small arms, and biological weapons, and tobacco control. We might be forgiven for asking just what has changed. Guest: Noam Chomsky, Professor of Linguistics at MIT and one of the leading critics of U.S. foreign policy. He is the author of more than 30 books on U.S. foreign policy, political culture and the mass media, among them Rogue States: The Rule of Force in World Affairs, published last year by South End Press. Related link: Noam Chomsky Archive Story: THOUSANDS ONCE AGAIN RALLY FOR RALPH NADER IN OREGON; CHICAGO IS COMING UP THIS WEEKEND. WHAT'S GOING ON? HE CALLS IT DEMOCRACY RISING: A CONVERSATION WITH RALPH NADER AND WINONA LADUKE 7,500 cheering people greeted former Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader in Portland, Oregon on Saturday night, in what was his first major political event since last year's election. Last year, a similar rally in Portland launched a series of "super rallies" around the country for his presidential campaign. This time, the Portland event is meant to launch a new "grass-roots movement" called Democracy Rising. More rallies are expected around the country. In his hour-long speech, Nader urged audience members to harness citizens' discontent with corporate-led globalization, the corruption of the political system, the destruction of the environment, low-paying jobs and poverty. Outside, two dozen people protested, claiming that Nader's presidential run did little more than hand the 2000 election to George W. Bush. Guests: Ralph Nader, long-time consumer advocate, former Green Party Presidential candidate, founder of the new organization, Democracy Rising. Winona Laduke, community activist, writer, and former vice presidential candidate. She is an Ojibwe Native American, speaking from the White Earth Reservation in Northern Minnesota. Related links: Democracy Rising Nader2000 Story: PROTESTS, FASTS MARK ELEVENTH ANNIVERSARY OF US/UN SANCTIONS ON IRAQ Yesterday marked the eleventh anniversary of Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, and the eleventh anniversary of the imposition of U.S. backed economic sanctions that have killed more than a million people since 1990. In Iraq 18 American and British activists marked the occasion with a fast outside the UN mission in Baghdad. Here in New York, activists from Voices in the Wilderness, the Catholic Worker and Pax Christi began a 40 day fast outside the U.S. mission to the UN. They were joined on the first day of the fast by former Assistant Secretary General of the UN Denis Halliday, who resigned in protest over what he called a genocidal sanctions policy in 1998. Guest: Kathy Kelly, founder Voices in the Wilderness, two time Nobel Peace Prize nominee, fasting for 40 days outside the U.S. mission to the UN. Related link: Voices in the Wilderness.