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> Thur., Jan. 20, 2005
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Today's lead stories:
Inauguration Report
DC Protests Inauguration
Texans Protest Bush’s Inauguration
Kurds Will Vote from ‘Home’ in Iraqi Election
Poor Women Fear Term 2 of Bush
Mexican Prison Crackdown
FSRN Headlines
Bush Inaugurated Today
Costing nearly $40 million dollars, today is the most expensive
Presidential inauguration in the nation’s history, and
comes at a time when the U.S. Is facing the largest spending
deficit in its history. President bush’s inaugural address
made references to his plans to reform social security, raised
the possibility of more foreign interventions, and used religious
language to justify u.s. policy abroad. (AUDIO) A poll of
21 countries published yesterday by the BBC shows that much
of the world fears the next four years—nearly 60% of
those surveyed said they expect bush to have a negative impact
on peace and security. Today’s inauguration was also
the most secure in the nation’s history, blocking off
100 blocks of the nation’s capital, and employing antiaircraft
batteries, fighter jet patrols, and at least 13,000 security
personnel. Thousands of protesters were spread thoughout the
city and, as darby hickey reports, some met with violence
at the hands of police.
British Gov. To Deport Terror Suspects
The British government has announced its plans to send foreigners
held as terror suspects back to their countries of origin,
where they may face torture or execution. The move is viewed
by some as an attempt to avoid conceding that the British
government does not have enough evidence to bring the detainees
to trial. From London, Naomi Fowler has more.
Thousands of French Workers Strike
In France, hundreds of thousands of public-sector workers
struck today, closing schools, stopping trains, and backing
up the mail. They’re fighting budget cuts and stagnant
wages—observers say if the protests escalate, they may
threaten the stability of the center-right chirac government.
Tony Cross has more from Paris.
Indonesian Tsunami
Indonesia has increased its estimated death toll from the
asian tsunami by 70,000 bringing the total dead to more than
220,000. Meanwhile, an Indonesian General said that in the
two weeks since the disaster occurred, his troops have killed
120 separatist rebels in the hard-hit province of Aceh. The
Free Aceh Movement has accused the military of using the tsunami
to step up attacks on rebel forces; the military has accused
the rebels of stealing aid supplies. Meanwhile us defence
secretary Paul Wolfowitz called for a political solution to
the conflict in Aceh, and argued that if Indonesia’s
military tries to sabotage peace talks, it should be “pushed
to get out of the way.”
[top]
Inauguration Report (3:37)
In his inaugural address on Capitol Hill, President Bush
said that it is now the role of the US military and diplomatic
efforts to promote "freedom" and "Democracy"
around the world. The President also said he would further
freedom within the United States by turning the country into
an ownership society. Mitch Jeserich reports.
[top]
DC Protests Inauguration (4:36)
As the Presidential Inauguration unfolded today, protestors
showed their discontent with the Bush administration by demonstrating
and holding direct actions around the District of Columbia.
Dolores M. Bernal brings us this report.
[top]
Texans Protest Bush’s Inauguration
(2:00)
University and High School students in Houston answered
a call to 'inaugurate yourself.' Renee Feltz has more.
[top]
Kurds Will Vote from ‘Home’ in Iraqi
Election (3:10)
Just hours before Bush's inauguration, a suicide truck bomb
exploded outside Australia's embassy in Baghdad. The bombing,
together with attacks on other Iraqi security targets killed
at least 26 people. According to press accounts, Bush responded
by calling Iraq's interim President and Prime Minister and
urging them not to flinch from the timetable to hold the vote
at the end of the month. Tensions are high across Iraq in
advance of the election -- including in the oil rich Northern
City of Kirkuk, where 100,000 Kurds forced out of the city
under Saddam Hussein this week won the right to vote in their
old district. Aaron Glantz reports.
[top]
Poor Women Fear Term 2 of Bush (3:55)
In President Bush’s first term when the Department
of Health and Human Services was lead by Tommy Thompson, a
controversial strategy of using federal welfare dollars to
promote marriage as a way out of poverty was implemented.
By providing cash grants as an incentive for low income women
to marry, critics charge that the system was forcing women
into unsafe situations. Now as Congress is poised to confirm
Mike Leavitt as the head of HHS, as Sarah Olson reports, many
are afraid that the second Bush term will see further attacks
on low income women.
[top]
Mexican Prison Crackdown (2:45)
Although visitation rights are being slowly restored, many
of the over 530 prisoners in one of Mexico's largest maximum
security prisons remain incommunicado after military and federal
agents took control of the facility in a surprise raid last
Friday morning. The Federal Secretary of Public Security stated
that a number of powerful drug lords housed in La Palma were
continuing to run their operations from their prison cells
as well as directing a cartel war along the U.S./Mexico border.
But as Vladimir Flores reports, drug traffickers were not
the only prisoners subject to a crackdown.
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