• Jordanian Public Responds to Barack Obama's Visit
• US Muslims Critical of Obama
• Billionaire Texas Oil Tycoon Makes a Plea to Congress for Wind Power
• Activists Push Reforms Strengthening the Americans With Disabilities Act
• Net Neutrality Issues Pepper FCC Public Hearing

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Jordanian Public Responds to Barack Obama's Visit

US presidential candidate Barack Obama is in Amman today as part of a
visit to the Middle East.  Obama has pledged to work on an
Israeli-Palestinian peace deal.  He also told reporters in Jordan that
now the security situation in Iraq has improved, the country's needs
must be addressed politically and diplomatically. Oula Farawati in
Amman reports on Obama's visit and the public's response.

US Muslims Critical of Obama

As Barack Obama travels to several predominantly Muslim countries
this week, some American Muslims say he is distancing himself from
their community - in part to avoid controversy over hot button issues
such as national security and the war in Iraq.  They also say they have
been disappointed by several recent incidents that have hit closer to
home. Community members point to a recent Michigan campaign rally where
two Muslim women in headscarves were told to move out of camera shot. 
And the fact that Obama adamantly denies being a Muslim, calling those
rumors a smear campaign.  Karen Miller has more.

Billionaire Texas Oil Tycoon Makes a Plea to Congress for Wind Power

It's energy week on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers are trying to outdo each
other with plans and proposals to lower the price of gas. And a
billionaire with strong financial ties to the Republican Party is in
the mix, preaching an unlikely sermon.  Former Texas oil tycoon T.
Boone Pickens is on Capitol Hill today spreading the mantra of
alternative energy.  Pickens is a peak-oil convert who believes
expanding oil-drilling operations will not solve the nation's energy
woes.  His idea is to significantly boost wind energy in the United
States and use it as a substitute for Natural Gas electricity
production.  The domestically sourced natural gas would then be used to
power automobiles – a cleaner and potentially cheaper option.  And
conveniently, it's an idea that would benefit one of Pickens'
companies, which operates natural gas fueling stations across the US. 
Tanya Snyder has more from Washington.

Activists Push Reforms Strengthening the Americans With Disabilities Act

This week marks the 18th anniversary of the passage of the Americans
with Disabilities Act.  Several hundred people rallied outside the US
Capitol to push for changes that would strengthen the landmark
legislation. The original bill has been weakened by two Supreme Court
decisions that have determined that people with conditions including
epilepsy, amputations, muscular dystrophy, and mental retardation are
not protected by ADA in the workplace.  At the rally today, FSRN's
Leigh Ann Caldwell spoke with John Lancaster, Executive Director of the
National Council of Independent Living about an updated version of ADA
that is stalled in the Senate, but overwhelmingly passed the House of
Representatives earlier this year.

Net Neutrality Issues Pepper FCC Public Hearing

The battle for net neutrality could see an important victory in August,
if, as expected, the FCC votes to censure Comcast for blocking the
file-sharing network, BitTorrent. The future of the internet, though,
is still in question, particularly for those who find themselves on the
wrong side of the "digital divide." Yesterday all five FCC
commissioners met in Pittsburgh for a public hearing and panel
discussion on this and other issues surrounding the internet. FSRN's
Ellen Pierson has more: