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> Fri., June 18, 2004
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
Corporate Tax Bill Passes With a Buyout for Tobacco
9/11 Commission – Analysis and Reaction
Latino Worker’s Advocates Sue Department of Labor
Biotech in Africa
Juneteenth
FSRN Headlines
Juneteenth: Reparations on the Table
Today leaders of the African-American community and a newly
created coalition of Caucasians gathered separately to discuss
reparations on the anniversary eve of Juneteenth. John Ball
reports from D.C.
Governor Bush Deals with Ex-Con Voting
Florida’s Governor Jeb Bush announced that the state
has restored the civil rights of nearly 21-thousand ex-convicts
as civil libertarians rush to cope with the state’s
election rolls before the Presidential elections. Mitch Perry
reports from WMNF.
India Cuts Protections
The Indian government is poised to ease foreign ownership
restrictions, causing a shift and potential rift in the new
coalition government. Binu Alex reports from Ahmedebad.
Clemency for Chinese Journalists
Two editors of China’s liberal newspaper had their sentences
reduced. Analysts believe the Chinese government is trying
to show the punishments are for corruption rather than clamping
down on free speech. From Beijing, Severine
Bardon has the story.
U.S. Hostage Beheaded
Please be cautioned to the graphic nature of the following
report: At deadline, news stations are reporting that U.S.
contractor Paul Johnson has been beheaded in Saudi Arabia.
Johnson was kidnapped last weekend. A message from people
who claim to be his captors demanded that all al-Qaida prisoners
be released. In return, the message read, Johnson would be
freed. Saudi authorities rejected the demand. Saudi authorities
have been searching throughout the capital of Riyadh for Johnson.
The country’s Interior Minister admitted they are ill
prepared to cope with such situations.
Features
[top]
Corporate Tax Bill Passes With a Buyout for Tobacco
(4:26)
The U.S. House on Thursday passed a corporate tax bill,
which started out as a repeal 5 billion dollar a year export
subsidy to end European Union sanctions against the US and
turned out to be 155 billion dollar tax cut for domestic businesses.
Critics contend it will add an additional 34 billion dollars
to the deficit. The measure passed by a large measure as it
garnered support from Democratic representatives from Tobacco
growing states as the measure also includes a 9.6 billion
dollar tobacco buyout. The Senate version of the corporate
tax bill is drastically different, and the two legislative
bodies still must work out a compromise. Our Capitol Hill
correspondent Mitch Jeserich brings us an update on the continuing
Senate debate on the military budget and on new allegations
that the U.S. has 14 secret detention facilities worldwide.
[top]
9/11 Commission – Analysis and Reaction
(4:47)
The 9/11 Commission concluded their 12th and final set of
hearings yesterday. In this last installment, Commissioners
heard testimony regarding rampant communications failures
on the morning of the attacks and learned of the lack of preparedness
to deal effectively and in a timely manner with suck attacks.
The Commission issued their 17th preliminary report that says
they found no credible evidence linking Saaddam Hussein to
the 9/11 attacks. President Bush did acknowledge last fall
that there was no evidence of collaboration between Iraq and
al Queida in connection with the attacks – but it is
clear that the intimation of such a connection existed influenced
the invasion of Iraq. President Bush maintains his assertion
that Iraq and al Q were connected at some level. FSRN Spoke
with Sheldon Rampton -- research director for the Center for
Media and Democracy and co-author of Weapons of Mass Deception
and Banana Republicans and Colleen Kelly with 9/11 Families
for Peaceful Tomorrows.
[top]
Latino Worker’s Advocates Sue Department of
Labor (3:54)
A lawsuit filed by a coalition of groups alleges the US
Department of Labor failed Spanish-speaking workers in El
Paso and elsewhere along the Mexican/American border. Attorneys
say the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, is
to blame. Erika McDonald reports:
[top]
Biotech in Africa (3:41)
Agriculture plays a predominant role in the socioeconomic
life of Senegal. The rural population represents 73.7% of
the total Senegalese population active in the agricultural
sector which contributes more 20% to the gross domestic product
(GDP). Agriculture faces a number of ecological constraints
like salinity, acidity, erosion and deforestation. One of
the most important is the shortage of water -- even with a
three month long rainy season. To find solutions, researchers
turn to biotechnology. Numerous scientists gathered at Cheikh
Anta Diop University to weigh pros and cons of the implementation
of biotechnology in agriculture, breeding and other development
sectors. From Senegal, Ndiaga Seck reports.
[top]
Juneteenth (1:55)
Tomorrow, African Americans in the south commemorate the
day slaves in Texas were notified of their freedom. Commonly
called Juneteenth, the holiday is marked with celebration
by some and temperance by others. From KPFT in Houston, Richard
Hanna reports…
[top]
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