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> Thur., Oct. 16, 2003
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
Iraq Asks Arabs for $ to Rebuild
Congress on Tax Breaks for Corporations
Schwarzenneger’s First Few Days
Muslims Still Seeking Justice in Gujarat
Canadian Detainee on Hunger Strike
FSRN Headlines by Randi Zimmerman
Halliburton is overcharging the U.S. government for gasoline
in Iraq, according to two U.S. Congressmen. Jassamy Norton
Ford explains from D.C.
US Ambassador to the United Nations John Negroponte wielded
the Security Council’s Presidential gavel today as the
Council unanimously passed the Iraqi resolution. Critics of
the resolution say it means little to the real lives of Iraqis,
as it supplies no troops or commitment of dollars from any
other nation, nor a timetable for Iraqi self-rule.
Hours earlier in Iraq, a U.S. military Hum-vee rolled over
a landmine and killed one servicemen. Ahmed Al-arawi reports
from Baghdad.
The police in Nigeria have rescued about two hundred children
brought into the country to work as slaves. The children are
victims of an international child trafficking ring. Sam Olukoya
reports from Lagos.
Protestors in Montreal are objecting to the pending deportation
of up to 100 Algerians refugees from Canada. Stephan Christoff
reports from Montreal.
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Iraq Asks Arabs for $ to Rebuild
As the Bush administration and the Iraqi interim ministers
prepare for the so-called donor conference in Madrid next
week which would hammer out loans and economic assistance
to Iraq, three Iraqi interim ministers told a predominantly
Arab assembly of business people in Jordan that total reconstruction
of Iraq would cost around $55 billion. However as Oula Farawati
reports form Amman, Arab business leaders are reluctant to
contribute for fear that their money may fall into US hands.
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Congress on Tax Breaks for Corporations
Congressional Republicans vow that the new Energy Bill will
be completed by the end of the week. In meetings closed to
the public, 4 Republicans with ties to the oil and electricity
industry have been writing the measure that will direct national
energy policy or the years to come. Reports indicate the final
bill will repeal a 1935 law that prohibited large corporations
such as oil companies from owning electric utility companies.
While the energy bill also offers billions of dollars in tax
breaks to electric companies, Congress is on the move with
another measure offering tax breaks to major corporations.
Our correspondent in D.C., Mitch Jesserich has this report.
[top]
Schwarzenneger’s First Few Days
California Governor-Elect Arnold Schwarzenneger has begun
the process of transitioning into the state house in Sacramento.
The Governor-Elect met with President Bush in Riverside today.
President Bush is in the state on a fundraising stopover on
his way to Asia. California Civil Rights and Consumer advocates
are saying the self- styled moderate Republican Schwarzenneger
has more in common with the more right-leaning Bush administration
than the actor-turned politician was willing to reveal during
his campaign. Max Pringle reports.
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Muslims Still Seeking Justice in Gujarat
In India over the past week, thousands of Muslims have gathered
in Gujarat's commercial capital of Ahmedabad for the first
time after the worst sectarian violence that killed over a
thousand people the majority of whom were Muslims. Almost
two years after the carnage, justice still eludes the Muslim
community and the lackluster approach of the state government
towards the issue has received strong rebuke from the Supreme
Court of India. However as our correspondent in Ahmedabad,
Binu Alex reports, worse still, Muslims claim that the right
wing Hindu BJP party in Gujarat continues to harass them by
invoking the draconian POTA or Prevention of Terrorist Act
to try members of the Muslim community.
[top]
Canadian Detainee on Hunger Strike
Hassan Almrei came to Canada in 1999 with dreams of opening
his own business. Instead, he has found himself shut up inside
of Toronto's Metro West Detention center. Almrei was taken
into custody two years ago on a security certificate, a provision
similar to the US Patriot Act that allows for indefinite detentions.
It was issued by the Canadian Ministry of Citizenship and
Immigration for alleged ties to al-Qaida. To date, no charges
have been laid and his lawyer still cannot get access to the
evidence against him. And, to make the situation worse, the
solitary confinement cell that has become Almrei’s new
home, is very cold. In response, Almrei has been on a hunger
strike for almost 3 weeks. Jail and government officials have
been ignoring his claim, but new evidence suggests that that
inhumane conditions in which he now finds himself have been
documented before. Odelia Bay has more on the story from Toronto.
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