Iran Yet TO Halt Uranium Enrichment As IAEA DeadlineLooms--New WMW

[Gloria]

Full excerpts, links up now at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical
Tomorrow at Buzzflash.com

WORLD MEDIA WATCH FOR OCTOBER 27, 2003

1//The Independent, UK--BLAIR WILL IGNORE PUBLIC OPPOSITION TO GM TECHNOLOGY(Tony Blair has signalled that he is ready to ignore the public campaign against GM crops and to proceed with the technology. In language reminiscent of his pronouncements in the run-up to the Iraq war he said that his only interest was in trying "to do the right thing". The Prime Minister's reaction, in the week after the results of the Government's own trials proved that growing at least two GM crops damaged wildlife, has amazed and angered senior officials. They are bewildered that his views seem to have remained unchanged even though a series of reports from his own advisers has progressively demolished the case for the technology.)



2//Channelnewsasia.com, Singapore--IRAN YET TO HALT URANIUM ENRICHMENT AS IAEA DEADLINE LOOMS (Iran has yet to halt uranium enrichment in accordance with a landmark pledge to Britain, France and Germany, the foreign ministry admitted, adding that it was still looking into the modalities of halting its controversial work on the nuclear fuel cycle…An IAEA deadline for the Islamic republic to meet a series of demands expires this coming Friday, and the UN's nuclear watchdog's board of governors is to meet to evaluate Iranian compliance on November 20.)



3//The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippines--FERNANDO POE CANDIDACY RATTLES BUSINESSMEN(News that movie star Fernando Poe Jr. may run for president in next year's election has rattled the business community. "I think the business community is concerned that political parties are fielding candidates for president not on the basis of capability and proven track record but on the basis solely of popularity and 'winnability,'" said Jose Cuisia, Philamlife Insurance group chairperson and former central bank governor.)



4//The Jordan Times, Jordan--JORDANIAN BECOMES JAZEERA DIRECTOR (The Qatari-based satellite TV Al Jazeera's board on Saturday appointed Baghdad bureau chief Waddah Khanfar as the station's new director general, television sources told AFP. “The nomination is part of an administrative and professional drive and means that Al Jazeera will now adopt a more moderate and professional policy,” one of these sources told AFP in Amman…According to the sources, Al Jazeera is trying “to avoid insults as well as praise” of Arab governments, in a bid to bolster its objectivity.)



5//The Moscow Times, Russia--MEDIA STILL FEELS KREMLIN HEAT (Long after the dust settled around the Dubrovka theater, NTV's live coverage of the hostage crisis there continues to rankle President Vladimir Putin, and the ripple effects of the state's displeasure continue to be felt throughout the media establishment… Dubrovka was part of the progression toward suppressed media freedom, but the trajectory was launched well before last October. "The iron desire to control state channels dates from 2000," Kachkayeva said. "Now, nothing bubbles up, nothing boils. Everything is very flat.")

[acmavm]

1. Blair must be mentally ill. Or wants a nice present for Shrub when he

comes to visit. Maybe to make up for no parade.

[Gloria]

2. Apprently, Blair has lost his mind.....Heart scares don't deter him...

The stress of being Bush's cabana boy doesn't seem to shake him off his ultimate goal, I guess--to join the Carlyle crew....

[tinnypriv]

3. BLAIR WILL IGNORE PUBLIC OPPOSITION TO.... [fill in blank]