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> Tue., July 27, 2004
FSRN
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Today's lead stories:
Democratic National Convention – Sound Collage
Delegates to Approve Platform
“Free Speech Zone?”
More Money for Haiti – Help or Hindrance?
Congolese Refugees Flee
Mumia Commentary: Four Years of Hope, Four Years of Hell
FSRN Headlines
WTO Troubles
The so-called G-20 nations of the developing world are holding
fast at the World Trade Organization’s meeting this
week in Geneva. India’s commerce minister said today
that for the multilateral treaty to have any power, all members
must have equal participation in its creation. Yesterday,
European Union representatives strenuously challenged the
current draft that focuses on forcing the EU and the United
States to cut back on farm subsidies – a major demand
from the G-20 and other African and Latin American nations.
According to Oxfam, about 96-percent of the world’s
farmers live in the developing world. The breakdown of the
WTO negotiations in Cancun in September last year was attributed
to the debate over the subsidies. Delegates are now concerned
about meeting this Friday’s deadline. Unless they come
to an agreement, proponents of what they call “free
trade” will have to wait months, if not years for another
opportunity to create a global marketplace. WTO’s chief
said today, there’s a lot of work to be done if the
world’s rich and poor nations are to strike a deal.
US Sells Guns to Wrong People
17-million guns were purchased in the United States over the
past 2 years. According to the Justice Department’s
Inspector General more than 7,000 people who were prohibited
from buying guns got them anyway. Kéllia Ramares has
the
story.
Right to Die Case in FL Court
A law giving Florida’s governor the ability to make
decisions in right to die cases is now being challenged in
the state’s court. Andrew Stelzer has more from WMNF.
Salt Lake City Mayor Pushed Living Wage
Pushing a living wage, one Utah mayor is attempting to circumvent
the state legislature’s efforts to block it. Alan Nauman
reports from Salt Lake City.
East Timor Wants Control of Gas
Australian politicians are playing politics with the national
income of East Timor. East Timor has yet to ratify natural
gas and oil profit sharing deals with Australia hoping the
international community will force what they consider a more
just redefinition of maritime laws. Currently Australia is
sticking to a maritime agreement signed with occupying Indonesia,
weeks prior to East Timor’s independence. John Miller,
with the East Timor Action Network says Australian aid is
a poor substitute for just control of their resources.
[top]
Democratic National Convention – Sound Collage
The Democratic Convention officially convened in Boston
yesterday. Mainstream media coverage kicked off at 7 PM –
but numerous speakers took the podium before the television
cameras began to roll. Yesterday – 20 speakers addressed
the delegates before prime time coverage began. We bring you
a short audio collage of some of those voices – including
Democratic Chairman Terry McAuliffe, Michigan Senator Debbie
Stabanow, the Honorable Robert Menendez, NY Representative
Gregory Meeks, Connecticut Representative Rosa DeLauro, and
Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack from Iowa.
[top]
Delegates to Approve Platform
The Democratic delegates at the convention are set to unanimously
adopt the draft platform on which Democrats will be running
in the November elections. With the platform focusing on the
war on terror, homeland security, and health care, the Democrats
are trying to appeal to moderate voters who will likely tilt
the election. But as Mitch Jeserich reports, some delegates
and demonstrators feel that issues affecting poor and diverse
communities are largely being ignored.
[top]
“Free Speech Zone?”
The City of Boston and the Democratic Party have created
a “free speech” zone to accommodate protestors
at the DNC in Boston – the fenced off area confines
and encloses demonstrators. Bill Hamilton is there.
[top]
More Money for Haiti – Help or Hindrance?
A recent donor’s conference in Washington has pledged
a total of 1 billion dollars in aid to Haiti. While headlines
have lauded this sum as surpassing the amount requested by
the interim Haitian government, Oxfam is criticizing the conference,
saying that this aid – much of which will be in the
form of loans – will only dig Haiti into deeper debt.
Other organizations are saying the international community
shouldn’t be supporting what they say is an illegal
regime. From KBOO in Portland Oregon – Jacob Fenston
reports.
[top]
Congolese Refugees Flee
An International Criminal Tribunal (ICT) delegation arrived
in Kinshasa on Monday for it’s first-ever investigation
into the war crimes in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
over the past two years. The delegation, which will be in
the country for five days, will hold meetings with the DRC
government, civil rights groups and representatives of international
organizations in the DRC. According to the UN nearly 20,000
people are in a "critical humanitarian state" in
the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) after fleeing
renewed fighting between central government forces and dissident
troops around Lake Kivu. Over 2000 Congolese refugees have
moved into the Nebbi district of Uganda after two days of
renewed fighting between Lendu militia and FAPC rebels in
the Ituri region of DR Congo. Joshua Kyalimpa reports From
Uganda.
[top]
Mumia Commentary: Four Years of Hope, Four Years
of Hell
[top]
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