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> Thur., Aug. 21, 2003
FSRN
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Today's lead stories:
Powell Meets Annan
Israel Assassinates Hamas Leader
Rumsfeld in Colombia
CA’s Recall Election Update
Pakistan Parliamentary Crisis
FSRN Headlines Produced by Randi Zimmerman
Portland Protests Bush Fundraiser - Andrew Stelzer
U.S. Urged to Give Fair Trials At Guantanamo - Anastasia Kershaw
Monsanto Pay millions for PCB pollution - Sehvilla Mann
Texas Democrats Against Redistricting - Ernesto Aguilar
[top]
Powell Meets Annan
Today the United States reiterated its call for international
support to help police the occupied state of Iraq. U.S. officials
are using the bombing of the UN building in Baghdad, in which
at least 23 people were killed, to tell the international
community it owes it to the people who died to help US &
UK forces thwart ongoing attacks in Iraq. Secretary of State
Collin Powell met with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to
draft a resolution encouraging international support, which
Powell made clear would in no way supersede the US role. However,
many countries on the UN Security Council reiterated the message
that the international community must have a larger role in
rebuilding Iraq. Mitch Jeserich reports.
[top]
Israel Assassinates Hamas Leader
Following Tuesday’s suicide bombing in West Jerusalem,
the Israeli military today assassinated Ismail Abu Shanab,
a founder of Hamas and one of its top three political leaders.
Israeli helicopters fired five missiles at Abu Shanab’s
car on a busy Gaza street. Witnesses said women, children
and construction workers at a nearby site were among dozens
injured. Israeli tanks also rolled into the West Bank cities
of Nablus, Tulkarem and Jenin and closed Ramallah off entirely.
Israeli officials say they are looking for suspected Palestinian
Militants. Israeli officials have also indicated that this
current operation in the West Bank will last at least 3-4
weeks. In the aftermath of the assassination of the Hamas
leader, the group announced an end to their ceasefire. Deepa
Fernandes brings us reaction from Israel and the Occupied
Territories.
[top]
Rumsfeld in Colombia
US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld’s official
visit to Bogotá this past week emphasized that the
US’s global battle against terrorism is also transpiring
in Colombia. The Bush administration reasserted support for
Colombia’s President Alvaro Uribe and his war against
leftist guerrilla groups who are pitted against the military
and paramilitaries in a 40-year civil conflict. Colombia is
the third largest recipient of US military aid after Israel
and Egypt, and last year, more Colombian soldiers and police
were trained by US officials than in any other foreign country.
From Bogotá, Nicole Karsin has more.
[top]
CA’s Recall Election Update
The major candidates on California’s October 7 recall
ballot ratcheted-up their campaigns this week as Democratic
Governor Gray Davis, Democratic Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamante
and Republican Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger gave addresses
this week laying out their plans for the future of the state.
Meanwhile, a Federal Judge in California rejected an ACLU
lawsuit seeking to move the election to March. Max Pringle
reports.
[top]
Pakistan Parliamentary Crisis
In a crucial session of Pakistan’s National Assembly,
yesterday the opposition staged a walk out. For the last nine
months in Pakistan, the Parliament has not undertaken any
public-interest legislation because of a political stand-off
between the opposition parties, both liberal and Islamist,
and President General Pervez Musharraf. If the stalemate continues
any longer it is likely to push the country into political
disarray. Both the United States and Musharraf, for their
own reasons, are looking at ways of preventing civil disorder.
But as Masror Hussain reports from Islamabad, options before
them are running out and poor Pakistani’s are suffering.
[top]
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