Home > Programs
> FSRN
> Fri., Feb. 21, 2003
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
Thanks to FSRN.org
for making the daily programs available to Pacifica.org
Today's lead stories:
Japan Will Strike North Korea First
Jordan's Palestinian Refugees
California's Huge Budget Deficit
Patriot Act II
Oil Series: Jamaica
Japan Will Strike North Korea First
Japanese government officials have announced their intentions
to launch pre-emptive strikes against North Korea if they
discover North Korean plans of a missile attack against Japan.
Japan's defense minister, Shigero Ishiba, declared that Japan
is ready to strike first against North Korea calling the possible
strike "defensive" not "preemptive." And
while the Bush Administration has expressed strong concern
about North Korea making a provocative military move, US military
officials are saying little about the Japanese declarations.
Miles Ashdown has more from Tokyo.
[top]
Jordan's Palestinian Refugees
More than half of Jordan's population is of Palestinian
origin. 50% are refugees that fled british mandate Palestine
in 1948 and the West Bank under Jordanian rule in 1967. Today,
only 20% of them live in refugee camp as Jordan is the only
Arab country that has encouraged palestinian refugees to settle
by giving them Jordan's citizenship despite it could threaten
its fragile demographic balance. With a war looming in Iraq,
jordanians fear palestinians from the West Bank could be transfered
into neighbouring Jordan. Rafael Krafft has more.
[top]
California's Huge Budget Deficit
California is grappling with a 36 billion dollar budget
deficit, the largest of any state in US history and the state's
political forces cannot agree on how to solve it. Democratic
lawmakers want to close the deficit, in part, by releasing
non- violent criminals early. But Governor Gray Davis, a Democrat
and Republican lawmakers demur the plan, and prefer instead
to cut billions of dollar in state spending, with major reductions
in education, where California already ranks near the bottom
in spending per student nationwide. Cuts are also proposed
to health care which community activists say would kick half
a million people of the states Medicaid program. Mitch Jeserich
reports.
[top]
Patriot Act II
Americans security concerns are becoming increasingly focused
on the administrations assault on civil liberties rather than
perceived terrorist threats. Federal legislation drafted since
9/11 such as the USA Patriot Act and the recently disclosed
Domestic Enhancement Act of 2003, also known as Patriot Act
II, have heightened efforts by cities to protect the constitutional
rights of their residents. 38 civil rights and constitutional
related resolutions have passed to date. 100 more are in the
works. Seattle is the most recent city to challenge the Justice
Department and reaffirm landmark legislation that prohibits
local law enforcement agencies from spying on individuals
and organizations. Martha Baskin has the story.
[top]
Oil Series: Jamaica
As we continue our FSRN special series examining oil around
the world, today we go to Jamaica. The threat of another war
with Iraq has triggered an increase in the price of oil. But
the Jamaican Government is working on an energy project that
will reduce its dependence on oil. Patrick Scudder reports.
[top]
|
Listen
to the show 
Help
stream
download
