Tuesday, August 12, 2008

• Weighing the Real Costs of Private Contractors
• Bush Wants Endangered Species Rule Change
• Civilian Costs Already Too Great in South Ossetia
• Despite Some Conservative Gains, Bolivian Elections Renew Morales Mandate

Click here for Headlines Package
Click here for 13 Meg Version
Click here for Dial-Up Version

Weighing the Real Costs of Private Contractors

A new government report finds that the use of private contractors in
the Iraq War has broken new records. The report says that it costs
about the same to hire a private contractor as it does to use a
government military employee. But as FSRN's Tanya Snyder reports, some
analysts have found hidden costs that aren't included in the
government's analysis.

Bush Wants Endangered Species Rule Change

The Bush Administration has proposed new regulatory standards that
would weaken the Endangered Species Act. The proposal would sidestep a
major oversight mechanism that assures environmental safeguards.
Washington Editor Leigh Ann Caldwell reports.

Civilian Costs Already Too Great in South Ossetia

The conflict between Russia and Georgia has already claimed the lives
of hundreds, or perhaps thousands of South Ossetians. The UN Refugee
Agency says that more than 20,000 South Ossetians have been forced to
flee to North Ossetia, while several hundred thousand more are now
internally displaced in Georgia. Human rights groups are demanding both
sides honor international law that calls for the protection of
civilians not taking part in the clash. Sarah Holewinski, it the
Executive Director of the Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict,
she says it's impossible to know who is abiding by what laws.

Despite Some Conservative Gains, Bolivian Elections Renew Morales Mandate

Two days after his sweeping victory in a controversial recall
referendum, Bolivian President Evo Morales is busy taking advantage of
the renewed mandate. Morales has announced he will kick-start a stalled
drive to hold a referendum on a proposed new constitution. But some of
his right-wing rivals were strengthened in Sunday's vote as well, and
are consolidating conservatives to continue resistance to Morales's
wide-sweeping social and economic change agenda. A left-wing reformer,
former coca union leader and Bolivia's first indigenous president,
Morales is proud of this socialist credentials. But despite the win at
the polls, Bolivia remains bitterly divided. Linda Farthing reports
from La Paz.