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> Wed., Oct. 15, 2003
FSRN
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Today's lead stories:
63 Dead in Bolivian Protests Over Gas
UN to Vote on US Iraq Resolution
Powell Aid Says WMD Intelligence was Hyped Up
LA Transit Strike Broadens
GM Wheat - Coming to a Store Near You!
FSRN Headlines by Nell Abram
Americans Killed In Gaza Blast -- Mohammed Ghalayini
Three American security guards have been killed in an explosion
that targeted the convoy they were traveling in on the main
road to Gaza, just outside the Palestinian town of Beit Hanun.
Mohammed Ghalayini reports from Gaza.
Hindu Activists Arrested -- Binu Alex
Authorities in Indian state of Uttar Pradesh have arrested
more than 10,000 Hindu activists: Binu Alex is in Ahmdebad
Journalists Ordered To Reveal Sources -- Josh Chaffin
A federal judge has ordered five journalists to give up their
sources in the case of nuclear scientist Wen Ho Lee. Lee is
suing the government for damage done to his reputation when
the Government tried to pin him with passing nuclear secrets
to the Chinese. Josh Chaffin reports:
Vietnamese Rice To Iraq -- Aaron Glantz
Vietnam has spent its first money to help George Bush rebuild
Iraq. From Ho Chi Minh City, Aaron Glantz:
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63 Dead in Bolivian Protests Over Gas -
(3:44)
For the second day in a row, the capital city of Bolivia,
La Paz and the adjoining city of El Alto remain paralyzed
by protests demanding the resignation of president Sanchez
de Lozada after his policy to export gas to countries including
the US and Mexico caused the Bolivians to revolt, demanding
the gas be left in Bolivia and used for internal consumption.
Washington has backed Sánchez de Lozada, a wealthy
businessman who grew up in the United States, who has supported
free-market policies and was elected in 2002 with only 22
percent of the vote in a runoff against indigenous coca farmer
Evo Morales. Since the decision to export gas was made public
on September 19, the ensuing street protests have been violently
suppressed, the latest count says some 63 have been killed.
Yesterday Vice President Carlos Mesa distanced himself from
the President Sanchez de Lozada expressing opposition to the
use of deadly force to quell street protests. Kathy Lederbur
is with the Andean Information Network based in Cochobamba,
Bolivia and she tells Deepa Fernandes that the situation is
escalating.
[top]
UN to Vote on US Iraq Resolution - (3:59)
The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to vote
today on a new U.S. draft resolution that the U.S. hopes will
help ease the military and financial burden of occupying Iraq.
But negotiations have floundered over Washington's refusal
to set a date for relinquishing power to a provisional Iraqi
government, and while the resolution seems certain to pass,
it’s unlikely to provide the legitimacy the U.S. is
seeking. Susan wood reports from the UN.
[top]
Powell Aid Says WMD Intelligence was Hyped Up
- (3:24)
A former aid who analyzed data concerning weapons of mass
destruction for Secretary of State Collin Powell says that
Powell misinformed people when he addressed the United Nations
last February. The former aid, Greg Thielman tells CBS's 60
Minutes II, that airs tonight, the decision to go to war was
made first and then the intelligence was interpreted to fit
that conclusion. He says senior administration officials were
using faith base intelligence. Mitch Jeserich has more from
Washington DC.
[top]
LA Transit Strike Broadens - (3:54)
As supermarket workers in Southern California take to the
streets, so do workers for the L.A. Metropolitan Transit Authority
- the nation's third largest public transportation system.
MTA mechanics and maintenance workers walked off the job at
midnight Tuesday. Bus drivers, train operators, and other
workers are honoring the strike, leaving thousands of Los
Angeles residents without bus service. Members of the Amalgamated
Transit Union say talks with management over health benefits
and other issues have remained at a stand-still for fifteen
months. Teresa Wierzbianska files this report.
[top]
GM Wheat - Coming to a Store Near You! -
(4:35)
The European Union’s Environment Commissioner yesterday
accused US corporations of “trying to lie” about
their genetically modified crops to try and get the EU to
buy them. Meanwhile, according to the US Department of agriculture,
eighty percent of the soy and thirty-eight percent of the
corn planted in the U.S. this year was genetically modified.
Now, the Monsanto corporation has set a target date of 2005
for the introduction of the world’s next major genetically
modified crop: wheat. Unlike corn and soy, used mainly as
animal feed, most wheat is destined for direct human consumption.
Much of the wheat produced in the U.S. is sent overseas. With
Europe and Japan resisting the trend towards genetically modified
foods, G.M. wheat’s introduction may be delayed. Leigh
Robartes has more.
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