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> Thur., Feb. 10, 2005
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
FSRN Special Breaking News: Jury Says Lynne Stewart Guilty;
Anti - Immigration Bill in Senate
UFW Supports Temporary Workers Bill
Senate Votes On Class Action Suits
US Pressures Iran
Discrimination Policies Targeting Government Employees
US Based Filipinos Lose Class Action Suit
FSRN Special Breaking News:
Interview with Lynne Stewart [download
it here]
FSRN Producer Monica Lopez spoke with Lynne
Stewart just a short while ago.
FSRN Headlines
Headlines
Jury Says Lynne Stewart Guilty
The jury is in for the lawyer charged with aiding a terrorist
when she gave a press conference about the case of her client
in New York City. The anonymous jury decided that Lynne
Stewart is guilty. Stewart, a civil rights attorney for
30 years and known for her representation of the destitute,
now faces up to 20 years in prison. The verdict has sent an
ominous chill out to defense attorneys who might represent
people marked by the government as terrorists. Prosecutors
characterized the 65 year old Stewart as a zealous advocate,
charging her with giving material support to terrorists and
defrauding the U.S. government. Stewart has always said if
she looses in this phase she plans to appeal.
Israeli-Palestinian Cease Fire Crumbles
The Israeli-Palestinian cease fire is quickly crumbling as
the Israeli military kill 2 unarmed Palestinians and Hamas
launches dozens of mortars in retaliation. Laila El-Haddad
has more from Gaza City.
Mexican Government Funds Paramilitaries
The Mexican government trained and paid paramilitaries to
violently suppress the people of Chiapas. Luz Ruiz reports
from Chiapas.
4 Days of Fighting Between Separatists and Philippines
Government There has been 4 straight days of deadly fighting
between the government of the Philippines and Muslim separatists
seeking the release of one of their leaders. Girlie Linao
reports from Manila.
France Dumps 35-hour Work Week
France's right-wing-dominated parliament has passed a hotly-debated
package of measures to water down the 35-hour work-week which
was introduced by the previous Socialist-led government. Tony
Cross reports from Paris.
[top]
Anti - Immigration Bill in Senate (3:56)
Today the House of Representatives passed an anti-immigration
bill that would prohibit states from issuing driver's licenses
to undocumented immigrants, speed up the immigration deportation
process, finish construction of a wall between the San Diego
and Mexican border, and create additional hurdles for asylum
seekers. Also, a last minute amendment would allow bounty
hunters to track down undocumented immigrants. Mitch Jeserich
has more from Capitol Hill.
[top]
UFW Supports Temporary Workers Bill (3:38)
Meanwhile, also today on the floor of the Senate a bill
was re-introduced with bi-partisan support that would provide
legal temporary work status to foreign nationals to enter
the US during the agriculture season work for the period of
the of time that the industry needs low-wage workers and then
return home. And as FSRN's Deepa Fernandes reports from Capitol
Hill, the bill was supported by the United Farm Workers Union.
[top]
Senate Votes On Class Action Suits (2:04)
In a 72-to-26 vote, the US Senate passed class action lawsuit
legislation today. The House has already promised to approve
it next week. The legislation seeks to shift class action
lawsuits from state to federal courtrooms- which critics say
are already overburdened with cases. From the DC Radio Co-op,
Selina Musuta reports.
[top]
US Pressures Iran (3:14)
US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice has warned Iran that
if negotiations with Europe don't move forward, the country
could face action under the UN. Iranian President Mohammad
Khatami says that his country has no plans to abandon the
development of peaceful nuclear technology. As the US attempts
to lobby reluctant would-be allies to oust International Atomic
Energy Agency (or IAEA) head Mohammad ElBaradei for being
too soft on Iran, President Khatami said any military action
against his country would turn into a "scorching hell
for the aggressors". Joining us to talk about the developments
in Iran is Jacqueline Cabasso, Executive Director of the Western
States Legal Foundation.
[top]
Discrimination Policies Targeting Government Employees
(4:03)
Under the Bush administration's National Security Personnel
proposal, the Defense Department's new personnel rules would
abandon the system of steady pay increases for civilian workers
as well as set aside protection for arbitrary discipline and
firings. The new rules could take effect in as early as 90
days- following a period of public comment, talks with employee
unions and a possible debate in Congress. In West Virginia,
an Iranian American family is already speaking out about how
a lack of job protections and due process can devastate government
workers. Ingrid Drake from the DC Radio Co-op reports on the
families' challenge to what they call secretive and discriminatory
personnel policies targeting government employees from so-called
threat countries.
[top]
US Based Filipinos Lose Class Action Suit
(3:37)
Last Friday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco
dealt a blow to nearly 10,000 human rights victims in the
Philippines. The class action suit against the estate of former
Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos, whose assets where
held in Hawaii, dates back to 1995, while the push for victims'
compensation has gone on for nearly two decades. The court
of appeals found that US courts have no right to overturn
another country's supreme court. Meanwhile, the Task Force
Detainees of the Philippines continues to investigate torture
and illegal detentions under current Philippine President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. From Manila, FSRN's Carey Biron has
more.
[top]
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