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> Wed., Jan. 28, 2004
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
Kay says pre-war intelligence was wrong
Blair cleared by Hutton report
Attacks on Buddhists continue in Thailand
CA Labor Studies Cuts
Child soldiers or street children – Special report from
Sri Lanka
FSRN Headlines
Kerry Wins New Hampshire Primary
After winning the New Hampshire primary yesterday, Presidential
Candidate John Kerry, heads into next week’s round of
seven Democratic state contests riding a wave of momentum
he hopes will carry over – both in terms of increasing
his campaign coffers and increasing his popularity in the
South. The upcoming primary in South Carolina will be the
first in a state with a large black population and job losses
are a major issue. Party officials expect blacks will account
for up to 40 percent of voters. South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn,
a six-term Democratic Congressman and the dominant black politician
in his state, intends to endorse Kerry, something political
analysts say could be important for Kerry in Southern States.
For North Carolina Senator John Edwards, South Carolina is
a must-win primary Edwards, a native son of South Carolina,
and General Wesley Clark, who has Arkansas roots, are banking
on their Southern Heritage to gain votes.
Death toll Climbs in Iraq
At least 16 people were killed in Iraq in the last 24 hours
while the UN Secretary General, kofi anon announced yesterday
that he would send a team of experts in an effort to end the
deadlock over how to transfer power to the Iraqi People. Rafael
Kraft reports from Baghdad
Eight Palestinians on Outskirts of Gaza City The Palestinian
prime minister Ahmad Qurei held talks today with United States
Middle East Envoy, John Wolf, focusing on reviving the US
backed roadmap plan and arranging a summit between the Palestinian
and Israeli prime ministers. Hours before the meeting the
Israeli army carried out one of its largest raids into Gaza
city in months. Mohammed Ghalyini reports from Gaza city
OIG says Patriot Act Okay: No Civil Rights Violations
The Department of Justice is reporting there have been no
civil rights violations since the adoption of the Patriot
Act. Scarlet Officer has more from DC.
African Union Establishes Human Rights Court
The African Union has established a human rights court for
Africa. But it is unclear if the court would be effective
in reducing human rights violations on the continent. Sam
Olukoya reports from Lagos.
[top]
Kay says pre-war intelligence was wrong
Today former CIA weapons inspector in Iraq David Kay testified
to two Senate Committees. He told the Committees that the
prewar invasion intelligence on Iraq, including his own, was
wrong. Kay, who testified in Congress during the buildup to
the invasion telling lawmakers that Saddam Hussein was a threat,
now says an independent team should investigate what went
wrong with the intelligence gathering. He warns however it
should not be a witch hunt on the Bush administration and
he still thinks the invasion of Iraq was the right thing to
do. Republican lawmakers continue to deny the Democrats request
to investigate whether the White House dubiously manipulated
the information to justify the war. Our DC editor Mitch Jeserich
reports.
[top]
Blair cleared by Hutton report
While many anticipated that this would be British Prime
Minister Tony Blair’s toughest week in politics, the
release of the Hutton Inquiry report today officially cleared
him of any exaggeration of evidence in the events leading
up to the war in Iraq. However as Naomi Fowler reports from
London, some members of Parliament are not surprised that
the report clears Blair and are calling for a new and independent
inquiry.
[top]
Attacks on Buddhists continue in Thailand
Schools in Thailand's south have closed temporarily after
three Buddhist monks and at least one Buddhist police officer
were killed. This is the second wave of attacks to hit Thailand's
southernmost provinces since the new year. Earlier attacks
had targeted government facilities and police stations. FSRN
reporter Doualy Xaykaothao has this report from Thailand's
southernmost provinces.
[top]
CA Labor Studies Cuts
Recently California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger used
emergency powers to cut funding mid-fiscal year for the Labor
Research Institute at the University of California. In his
budget address this month he proposed cutting all funding
to the programs for the next fiscal year. Labor activists
say big business and conservative think tanks have been working
for years to do away with the three-year-old programs, which
examine the role of working people in society. Conservative
commentators say labor research programs use taxpayer money
to front for big labor’s issues. FSRN’s Max Pringle
reports from Pacifica station KPFA in Berkeley.
[top]
Child soldiers or street children – Special
report from Sri Lanka
UNICEF issued a report last week claiming that the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) in Sri Lanka maintain over 700
child soldiers in their rebel military force. The report alleges
an increase in recruitment, undermining a plan set-up between
the rebels and the international community. In an exclusive
interview with FSRN, the LTTE's top political leader admitted
the numbers may be correct but said there's now no need to
recruit children, as a cease-fire agreement between the rebels
and the government has shifted the LTTE focus to diplomacy.
Yet as our correspondent Miles Ashdown reports, the LTTE leader
says it's better to have child soldiers than street children.
[top]
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