News Releases

  • Available for Comment on Pinochet Decision

    JOYCE HORMAN Horman is the widow of American Charles Horman, whose execution by Gen. Augusto Pinochet’s forces in the days after the 1973 coup was the subject of the film “Missing,” starring Jack Lemmon and Sissy Spacek. Ms. Horman has continued to pursue the case legally. MICHAEL RATNER An attorney with the Center for Constitutional Rights, which is representing the Horman family, Ratner said: “This is a watershed victory for human rights and for the people of Chile. We should now examine the role of the CIA in Pinochet’s crimes. Everyone, including world leaders, whether in the U.S. or other…


  • Three Perspectives on Impeachment Uproar

    GWENDOLYN MINK “The president and his defenders cry ‘sexual McCarthyism’ as a defense against charges that he perjured himself in a sexual harassment case. These appeals to sexual privacy are both damaging to women and hypocritical,” says Mink, a professor of politics at the University of California at Santa Cruz and author of Welfare’s End. She adds: “‘Privacy’ is precisely the mantra that has been used against women to keep our issues — from harassment to incest to domestic violence — out of the purview of justice. We all cherish our privacy; but we also know that privacy does not…


  • Analysis of Clash Between IMF and World Bank

    A new report by the World Bank is sparking controversy because of its criticism of the IMF’s policies related to the Asian economic crisis. Among those available for comment are: ROBERT NAIMAN A research associate at the Preamble Center who specializes in assessing the impacts of economic globalization, Naiman said: “The good news is that the World Bank admits that punishingly high interest rates have destroyed these economies and that nations need controls on capital flows. The bad news is that it still funds IMF bailout packages that impose impossibly harsh austerity conditions on developing countries.” More Information CATHERINE CAUFIELD…


  • Critics Denounce Exxon-Mobil Merger

    Responding to today’s announcement that Exxon has agreed to purchase Mobil, critics say that the merger of the two oil giants would mean a vast consolidation of economic power and a serious threat to the global environment. The proposed Exxon Mobil Corp. would be the largest energy company in the world. Among the researchers and policy analysts available for interviews are: WENONA HAUTER Hauter, director of Public Citizen’s Critical Mass Energy Project, said: “We’re talking about putting back together Standard Oil, which was broken up 90 years ago. Consumers are eventually going to pay the price for this since it…


  • Available for Timely Interviews This Week

    About IMPEACHMENT: ROBERT PARRY A former Newsweek correspondent and the current editor of I.F. magazine, Parry has been examining the Clinton scandals, the Starr investigation and the way the special prosecutor system has evolved. More Information About IRAQ: BISHOP THOMAS GUMBLETON A Catholic Bishop from Detroit who has been to Iraq and will be going again next month, Gumbleton has opposed U.S. militaryaction against Iraq and the U.S./U.N. economic sanctions on Iraq. More Information PHYLLIS BENNIS A fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies and author of Calling the Shots: How Washington Dominates Today’s U.N., Bennis has just returned from…


  • Health Activists Blast Proposed Tobacco Settlement, Denounce Failure to Deal With Expansion Overseas

    WASHINGTON — While attorneys general from some states are touting a tentative deal with the tobacco industry, opponents say that one of the biggest problems with the proposed settlement is that it completely ignores the international operations of cigarette companies. Among the tobacco foes available for interviews are: ROSS HAMMOND Hammond, an economist and author of a new report on the international tobacco industry, said: “Big Tobacco has gone global to make up for declining sales in the United States. These companies now sell more cigarettes abroad than they do in the United States. Largely because of this overseas expansion,…


  • Iraq Analysts Available

    JOHN QUIGLEY Professor of Law, Ohio State University. Specialist in the Mideast and in international law. “There is no basis in any Security Council resolution for unilateral military action by the U.S.” BARBARA LUBIN Executive director, Middle East Children’s Alliance More Information JEFF GUNTZEL Traveled recently to Iraq with Voices in the Wilderness, delivering medicine in open violation of the sanctions. Another delegation now on its way to Iraq is reachable via above number. More Information RANIA MASRI Coordinator, Iraq Action Coalition GORDON CLARK Executive Director, PeaceAction More Information EDMUND GHAREEB Co-author of War in the Gulf 1990-91: The Iraq-Kuwait…


  • Iraq Sanctions: What’s the Policy?

    Whether the United States bombs Iraq or not, there are reports that the U.S. is changing its policy to a more sanctions-based approach. While many are claiming that Iraq would be rid of the sanctions if it complied with the weapons inspections, an examination of U.S. policymakers’ statements since the Gulf War suggests otherwise: April 3, 1991: U.N. Security Council passes Resolution 687. It includes many demands but states that once Iraq complies with the weapons inspection regime, the sanctions “shall have no further force or effect.”   May 20, 1991: James Baker, Secretary of State: “We are not interested…


  • Environmentalists Urge Clinton to Live Up to Rhetoric

    With the Earth’s climate on the table as delegates from more than 160 nations gather in Buenos Aires for a global climate summit, some U.S. specialists are voicing concern that the White House is not honoring its promises. Among those available for comment: ROSS GELBSPAN Gelbspan, author of The Heat Is On: The Climate Crisis, the Cover-Up, the Prescription, just returned from the summit. “While the talks in Buenos Aires move at a snail’s pace, the warming-driven instability of the climate is gathering a fearful momentum,” he said. “From January’s ice storm, through the fires in Brazil, Mexico and Florida,…


  • Victories for Campaign Finance Reform in Two States Likely to Inspire Grassroots Efforts Nationwide

    Statewide ballot measures for campaign finance reform won approval Tuesday in Arizona and Massachusetts. Activists say those victories will inspire a groundswell of efforts around the country to clean up the elections process at the grassroots. “This sends a message nationwide,” said Kaia Lenhart, political director of Arizonans for Clean Elections. “There’s no doubt about it.” While Arizona voters were narrowly approving a campaign- reform provision Tuesday, voters in Massachusetts were passing a similar measure by a wide margin. Leaders of both campaigns are available for interviews: KAIA LENHART The political director of Arizonans for Clean Elections, Lenhart said: “We…


  • Follow the Money: Peter Thiel and Menstrual Monitoring

    In a new report, Democracy Labs followed the money to connect the dots between J.D. Vance, Peter Thiel, Project 2025, and the push to monitor women’s menstrual cycles. 

  • Billions for Israeli Attacks as Hurricane Relief Efforts Face Shortfall

    The U.S. government has cited these commercial ties as one of the reasons why the U.S. should continue to supply foreign militaries, including the Israeli military, with weapons and equipment.

  • Two Attacks on Free Speech of Activists Against Israel’s Onslaught 

        Barmada, a plaintiff in the lawsuit and organizer of the peace vigil, said, “we know Blinken and his security detail do not want us there. But it is disgraceful that the State Department can barge into an official court proceeding in which they are not involved and derail a legal outcome. This abuse…

  • Israeli Attack on Iraqi Nuclear Facility *Began* Iraq’s Weapons Program

    “I worked on the pre-1981 nuclear program and I was certain it would not be used for military purposes. But after the 1981 bombing, we were so angry that we were ready to work on a military program. The Israeli attack didn’t end the nuclear weapons program, it began it.”

  • “Escalate to De-escalate”: What Led Iran to Attack Israel

    “’After a string of assassinations and other Israeli escalations in recent weeks, Iran is trying to create a new deterrence equilibrium. They are saying that we can still hit you, and we can hit you hard,’ said Sina Toossi, a senior non-resident fellow at the Center for International Policy. ‘Iran is actually trying to “escalate…

  • From Lebanon: A Million Displaced

    HANADY SALMAN, [email protected]     Salman is a journalist based in Beirut. She contributed to the book Inside Lebanon with Noam Chomsky and others, based on Chomsky’s visit to Lebanon just before the 2006 invasion by Israel. The film “Letters from Beirut: the War of 33” is based on her writings. See her writings in Jadaliyya. 

  • U.S. Bombs Killed “Pragmatic” Nasrallah

    “Just after daybreak on Monday, dozens of U.S.-made warplanes began raining bombs and missiles on Lebanon, killing more than 550 people and injuring 1,800 in the hours that followed. By day’s end, Israel had carried out one of the most intense aerial bombardments in modern history. The Israeli fighter jets were sent by the government…

  • The Uninsured: New Census Data

    Though former President Donald Trump criticized the Affordable Care Act during the most recent debate with Vice President Kamala Harris and said he would like to replace it, newly released Census data from the American Community Survey demonstrates the ACA’s progress in helping more Americans get health insurance. In 2023, the uninsured population declined for…

  • Analysts: If Biden Tells Israel to Stop Gaza Attack, Lebanon War Can be Averted

    “President Biden needs to cut off aid to Israel. Otherwise, it is the U.S. that bears the responsibility for the wider war”.

  • Leon Panetta’s statement on Israeli “terrorism”

    The “protracted terrorism” during the last 50 weeks, he added, “raises the question, for instance, why did the White House just greenlight $20 billion more worth of weapons to this government that might be called a terrorist organization?”

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