And finally, South African poet, songwriter and musician Vusi Mahlasela went back to Johannesburg last night after being refused entry into the U.S. for supposed visa complications. He was scheduled to join us in our firehouse studio today. Mahlasela is one of South Africa’s most celebrated poets and freedom singers. In 1994, he performed at Nelson Mandela’s inauguration. He is also featured in the new film Amandla. He was set to make his American debut this week in New York.

International artists have become prime victims of America’s post 9/11 Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act.

The government denied entry to all 22 Cuban musicians slated to appear at last year’s Latin Grammy Awards, including celebrated pianist Chucho Valdes.

British rock band Cousteau arrived in New York without the band’s principal songwriter who was born in Beirut.

Other casualties include ten of 28 members of an Iranian troupe scheduled for the Lincoln Center Festival and Yugoslav classical pianist Aleksandar Serdar, who INS deemed not “an artist of extraordinary ability or achievement.”

On the eve of a meeting between President Bush and President Vladimir Putin, Russian members of the American-Russian Youth Orchestra were almost denied visas by the U.S. Consulate in Moscow.