U.S. soldiers in Mosul, Iraq, in 2005

It was Sarah Olson's reporting on military opposition to the war in Iraq that made her a target of an Army subpoena. That hasn't deterred her from continuing to report on the subject. She writes, "'I joined the Army to go to war, and now I’m fighting to get out,' says Pfc. Ryan Follan, laughing nervously. He quickly becomes serious. 'Some of the causes are good, but I don’t think the war is for the right reasons.' ... Private Follan is standing in a Taco Bell parking lot just outside Fort Stewart in Savannah, Georgia. ... On this particular day, the soldiers at Fort Stewart have visitors. ... Veterans for Peace members say they’re not trying to pressure GIs to resist war. They want to educate soldiers about their rights."

"Hailed as a major success of five years of democracy-building, media freedom in Afghanistan is under increasing pressures," writes Alisa Tang. A spokesperson for the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said, "We've moved from an open media environment to a state-controlled media environment." A proposed law would increase government power over media outlets and make reporting "humiliating and offensive" news a criminal offense. The law "is being pushed by former warlords-turned-politicians who would rather have past deeds be forgotten," according to the head of the Afghan Journalists' Association. Meanwhile, highly-regarded Afghan journalist Ajmal Naqshbandi remains missing, weeks after being kidnapped by the Taliban. Ajmal was working with an Italian reporter, who was released after a controversial prisoner swap. The Committee to Protect Journalists and Western reporters who have worked with Ajmal are leading the campaign for his release, notes CJR Daily.

"Israel's official MySpace page was launched in January under the direction of officials from the Foreign Ministry," reports Gregory Levey. "The MySpace page automatically greets visitors with a sleekly produced hip-hop song called 'Peace in the Middle,'" and "shows pictures of Israel's beaches, glitzy hotels and the Tel Aviv skyline." It's part of the Israeli government's efforts "to reach out to young Americans" and "disarm the conflict-centric image so prevalent in the Western media." The Israeli government also has its own blog, which (like its MySpace page) links to YouTube videos on "Israel's achievements in technology, medicine, business and entertainment," as well as Gay Pride Parades and "a lot of people wearing bikinis. There is nobody wearing a military uniform in the videos, even though military service is compulsory for all Israelis after they turn 18." Future online plans include a second blog run by Israel's Foreign Ministry, "devoted exclusively to politics," and "an Internet television station aimed at American evangelicals and other Christians."

From a Campaign for Safe Cosmetics ad

In response to growing concerns about the safety of some cosmetics, the industry group Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association (CTFA) "has embarked on what it calls an 'education process' designed to reassure consumers." As the Center for Media and Democracy reported previously, part of CTFA's PR campaign is a website with industry-provided safety information -- perhaps intended to counter the "Skin Deep" online database by environmental and public health advocates. "Consumers are looking for greater transparency," noted CTFA's John Bailey. While "the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not test cosmetics before they enter the market," companies apply "good science" to assess their products' safety, assured Bailey. But former model Olivia James, among others, has her doubts. Her son was born with a condition linked to exposure to phthalates, chemicals commonly in cosmetics. The European Union has banned some phthalates and other chemicals allowed in U.S. cosmetics.

In early March, George W. Bush announced the creation of the President's Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded Warriors as a way of ending controversy over substandard treatment of injured U.S. personnel at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The commission has been created to "conduct a comprehensive review" of the care provided to injured military on their return to the United States, but it is also planning its own PR campaign. On March 22, the commission stated that it would award a no-bid contract for the period to August 1, 2007 to the Bethesda-based PR company, LMW Strategies, which is run by Lorraine McHugh-Wytkind. McHugh-Wytkind is a former communications director for Sen. Hillary Clinton. O'Dwyer's PR Daily reports (sub req'd) that the contract is worth $100,000.

The European Commission has backed the introduction of a voluntary register for lobbyists seeking to influence European Union officials. "All these groups or bodies are invited to register publicly whom they represent and what their objectives are. They are invited to declare funding sources and major clients," the commission stated. “I hope the lobbying profession will see this as an opportunity, rather than a threat," the European Commission's Vice-President for Administrative Affairs, Audit and Anti-Fraud Siim Kallas stated in a media release. Kallas announced European lobbyists would only be required to disclose total spending on lobbying EU bodies and "the relative weight per client." Associated Press notes that the new rules "fall far short of recent U.S. reforms to ethics laws that prevent senators from receiving gifts and free travel from lobbyists."