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> Tue., Jan. 18, 2005
FSRN
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Today's lead stories:
Condi Hearings on Capitol Hill Today
Gasoline Shortages Paralyze Baghdad
Pentagon Targets Iran?
Investigating the Social Security Debate
A Lynching in Florida?
FSRN Headlines
Creation Theory Pressed in PA Schools
Public high school students in Pennsylvania studying evolution
will be read a statement by their school administrator claiming
that Darwin’s ideas are just a theory and that creationism
should be considered. Danta Toza has more from Pennsylvania.
CA to Execute Inmate Tonight
California officials are preparing for the first state sponsored
execution in three years to take place shortly after midnight
tonight. Kellia Ramares reports from KPFA.
UN Releases Poverty Report
The United Nations released the organization’s report
on poverty. Again it reiterates the findings that rich nations
must still do more. Haider Rizvi reports from the United Nations.
Ann Venemen to Head UN Int. Children's Fund
The head of the United Nations International Children’s
Fund, Carol Bellamy, will be leaving after 10 years come this
spring. Former Bush Administration Secretary of Agriculture,
Ann Veneman, will replace her. As head of the Department of
Agriculture, Veneman oversaw the strategy to control the mad
cow disease outbreak in the U.S., federal organic food standards,
and was a proponent of genetically modified food and agribusiness.
Bellamy has been vocal about the plight of children in war
zones; and she strongly linked poverty and denial of resources
like health care and economic development to the suffering
of children worldwide. Political insiders at the United Nations
say the switch is a clear deferment to the Bush administration
when UN Secretary General Kofi Annan is struggling politically.
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Condi Hearings on Capitol Hill Today (4:10)
Condoleezza Rice answered questions today in the Senate
Foreign Relations committee during her confirmation hearings
for the position of Secretary of State. The day's session
largely focused on the Administrations' policy in Iraq. Mitch
Jesserich reports.
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Gasoline Shortages Paralyze Baghdad (3:19)
Guerillas launched attacks across Baghdad today, using suicide
car bombs to kill two guards at the office of a pro-occupation
political party and killing an unknown number of Iraqi troops
on a highway in southern Baghdad. Also today, U-S helicopters
opened fire in downtown Baghdad this afternoon after guerillas
attacked police. The fighting, along with two-day long gasoline
queues has created a traffic nightmare in Baghdad, and as
David Enders reports from the capital, the petrol shortage
shows no signs of ending anytime soon.
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Pentagon Targets Iran? (3:17)
In an article published by the New Yorker magazine, investigative
journalist Seymour Hersh says the US has covert commandos
operating in Iran, as well as a number of other countries
in Asia and North Africa, identifying potential military targets
and nuclear weapons sites. In the article titled "The
Coming Wars: What the Pentagon Can Now Do in Secret,"
author Seymour Hersh, describes a greater consolidation of
"the military and intelligence communities’ strategic
and covert operations." With Darby Hickey, Deepa Fernandes
reports.
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Investigating the Social Security Debate (4:15)
President Bush has listed social security reform as a top
priority for his next term. Leading up to the President's
inauguration on Thursday, FSRN is presenting a special coverage
on his proposal - private investment accounts. In part one,
is social security going broke? (20 second vox pop) Voices
of people under thirty five in New York City -- the age range
of people who will see the effects of the outcome of this
social security debate. The debate has become highly charged
and partisan. The Bush administration claims social security
is in crisis and investing social security in personal accounts
will solve the problem, while many opponents say social security
is one of the most successful government programs in history.
FSRN's Leigh Ann Caldwell looks at what both sides of the
debate are saying.
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A Lynching in Florida? (3:54)
Last fall, Damien Johnson, a 24 year old student at the
University of South Florida was found dead in Tampa, hanging
from a tree in a local park. After an alleged 24 hour investigation,
Temple Terrace Police closed the case as a suicide. But friends
and family of Damien reject the investigation's conclusions,
calling it of poor substance, and have asked the Florida Department
of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the FBI to review the case.
From Tampa, Farhad Sabet reports.
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