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> Thur., June. 5, 2003
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
Iraq: Instability and Demonstrations
More on "Roadmap To Peace"
More on Mideast Summit
Hip Hop Community Responds To Rockefellar Laws
Medical Marijuana Activist Sentenced
World Hunger Day: Food Banks
Iraq: Instability and Demonstrations
Today, Chief UN arms Inspector, Hans Blix released a report
that states that while UN inspectors were in Iraq, they did
not discover evidence of the continuation or the resumption
of " weapons of mass destruction" programs. While
visiting troops in Qatar, President Bush stated that he would
uncover the truth about weapons of mass destruction. And later,
he flew in an Air Force One jet, for an hour over Iraq on
his way back to the United States. On the ground, in the wake
of deteriorating instability, anti-American feelings are GROWING
amongst Iraqis in Baghdad. Eight American soldiers were killed
this week, in separate incidents, while the NUMBER of demonstrations
against the occupying forces increased. Fariba Nawa reports
form Baghdad.
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More on "Roadmap To Peace"
TODAY is the 36th Anniversary of the Israeli Occupation
of WEST BANK and the gaza strip. As George Bush acknowledged
the COMMITMENT to his roadmap from Israeli and Palestinian
Prime Ministers at the SUMMIT in AKABA, Jordan, IN The Occupied
territories and Israel, reaction was less positive THOUSANDS
OF hard-line Jewish settlers PROTESTED in the center of Jerusalem,
and the military wing of HAMAS rejected a ceasefire. IRRIS
MAKLER reports from JERUSALEM AND RAMALLAH.
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More on Mideast Summit
President George W. Bush brokered the MID EAST summit in
Jordan yesterday, during which the Prime Ministers of Israel
and the Palestinian National Authority made concessions regarding
the Israeli dismantling of settlements in the occupied territories
and the Palestinian crackdown on what Israelis term as terrorist
activity. However, today on the 36th anniversary of the Israeli
occupation of The west bank and Gaza Strip - the Israeli daily
Haaretz reported that Israeli defense minister Shaul Mofaz
told the Israeli military today not to ease restrictions on
Palestinians, despite pledges made by Israeli prime minister
Ariel Sharon at the Mid-east Summit with George Bush. Oula
Farawati takes a closer look at provisions of the mid east
summit.
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Hip Hop Community Responds To Rockefellar Laws
On Wednesday afternoon, 60,000 people CROWDED the streets
around New York City Hall to SUPPORT Hip-hop superstars like
Sean P. Diddy Combs, Jay Z, and the Beastie Boys in calling
for the REPEAL of the New York states Rockefeller Drug Laws,
- so named for New York governor Nelson Rockefellers support
of the 1973 laws - which hand out lengthy mandatory sentences
to FIRST TIME, NON-VIOLENT drug offenders. Flanked by state
and city legislators who also seek a repeal of the laws, co-organizer
of the event, RAP mogul - and founder of the Hip-Hop Summit
Action Network, Russell Simmons, said the event was meant
to put pressure on current New York Governor, George PATAKI,
and state legislators who have not been able to put aside
partisan politics, to deal with what critics say are racist
drug laws that target poor African-Americans and Latinos.
From Pacifica station WBAI in New York City, Jackson Allers
reports.
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Medical Marijuana Activist Sentenced
A packed courtroom ERUPTED IN CHEERS, when FEDERAL JUDGE
CHARLES BREYER sentenced Ed Rosenthal, the medical marijuana
activist to one day in prison. Rosenthal - who was convicted
in February, for growing and distributing marijuana for medical
users - could have faced up to 60 years in prison under Californias
compassionate use law, the voter approved PROPOSITION 215.
Christopher Martinez files this report:
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World Hunger Day: Food Banks
Today, June 5, is National Hunger Awareness Day in the United
States, YET, hunger is on the rise across the country. In
the last decade, hunger-relief agencies have found that the
greatest increase in hunger has been among the working poor.
Over the PAST TWO DECADES, the poverty rate among working
families has increased by nearly 50%. During the Reagan presidency,
the poor lost tremendous ground. And during the Clinton presidency,
the rich did well. Under Bush's new Gilded Age, the economic
disparity between the rich and poor has been earmarked for
expansion. The following story is about Washington State's
largest private food bank, but it could just as easily be
about the strains food banks are feeling in communities around
the nation. Correspondent Martha Baskin, has this story.
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