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> Thur., Feb. 24, 2005
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
Controversial Nominations Resubmitted to Federal Court
Bush Wraps European Diplomatic Tour
Indonesian Government And Free Aceh Movement Wrap Talks
Australian Activists Oppose Sending More Troops To Iraq
H.S. Students Face Suspension Over Anti-War Material
Mumia Abu Jamal Comments On Social Security
FSRN Headlines
New Palestinian Cabinet
The Palestinian Parliament has sworn in a cabinet of mostly
new people demonstrating that the leadership is making a commitment
to be different than former President, the late Yasser Arafat.
The overwhelming vote also shows confidence and support for
the leadership of newly elected president Mahmoud Abbas. The
new ministers were appointed after intense behind the scenes
negotiations with Arafat’s appointed Prime Minister
Ahmed Qurei. Seven of the Prime Minister’s appointments
were replaced. Abbas has reached a ceasefire in word from
the Israeli government. He is now preparing for a 25-nation
summit on Palestine in London next week.
Syria Agrees to Pull Out of Lebanon
The Syrian foreign minister announced today that they will
withdraw troops from Lebanon. Mohammed Shublaq reports from
Beirut.
Former MX President Won't Stand Trial for Genocide
Mexico's Supreme Court ruled that a former president will
not have to stand trial on charges stemming from a student
massacre during his administration. Shannon Young has the
story from Mexico.
Canadian Gov't Rejects US Missile Defense
Canadian government officials say they are tossing aside George
W. Bush’s pleas and refusing to support the missile
defense scheme. Kristin Schwartz has more from CKLN in Toronto.
US Supreme Court Rejects CA Prison Racism
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Califonia’s prison procedures
that separate new inmates by race. Eric Klein from KPFA reports.
Bush's Education Plan Called Unconstitutional
George W. Bush’s so-called “No Child Left Behind”
scheme is unconstitutional and impractical according to a
bi-partisan group representing 50 state legislatures. The
report says that the federal government has become “excessively
intrusive,” pays out barely 8-percent of required education
funding, yet requires “an unworkable accountability
system.” The Department of Education is on the defensive
saying they disagree with the conclusions and still looking
over the report. One Republican member of the House Education
committee said he thinks critics of the administration’s
education plan are just unwilling to live up to the high standards.
Utah is about to pass a law that will require the state to
prioritize state standards over federal ones. Nine other states
are considering various legal challenges to the law.
[top]
CONTROVERSIAL NOMINATIONS RESUBMITTED TO FEDERAL
COURT (4:05)
President Bush has resubmitted many of his most controversial
nominations to sit on the federal court who were defeated
in the last session by Senate Democrats through the use of
a filibuster. Some of the judicial nominations include those
have promoted that abortion is illegal, called the Clean Air
Act bad for the environment, and helped create the Pentagon's
policies towards detainees. Mitch Jeserich reports from Washington.
[top]
BUSH WRAPS EUROPEAN DIPLOMATIC TOUR (3:20)
On the final day of his diplomatic tour in Europe, President
Bush met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Slovakia
amid tensions over Iran and US concerns over Russia's democracy
reforms. Bush credited Russia's economic reconstruction program
as a positive step towards joining the World Trade Organization,
and although he cited that both countries agree that Iran
should not possess nuclear weapons, Moscow will continue development
on a nuclear power plant in Iran. Both Presidents also discussed
the Middle East peace process as well as the issue of nuclear
weapons on the Korean Peninsula. The meeting came amid growing
concern in the West that Putin is backsliding on democracy,
with critics saying his tough policies towards opponents have
curbed true democracy - fears Putin called unfounded. The
visit to Slovakia was seen as a fence-mending mission to heal
strains caused by the US' decision to invade Iraq. Danuta
Szafraniecz reports from Warsaw.
[top]
INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT AND FREE ACEH MOVEMENT WRAP
TALKS (3:56)
The second round of talks between the Indonesian government
and the Free Aceh Movement or GAM, ended yesterday in Helsinki,
Finland. Exiled GAM leaders indicated their desire to achieve
autonomy from Indonesian rule,maintaining that self-government
can be attained through organized local elections. In Jakarta
today, Indonesian President Soesilo Bambang Yudhoyono asserted
that the negotiations and the notion of self-rule status in
particular, would take time and patience. FSRN's Meggy Margiyono
has more.
[top]
AUSTRALIAN ACTIVISTS OPPOSE SENDING MORE TROOPS TO
IRAQ (2:30)
While the US government may have welcomed the Australia's
decision to add 450 more troops in Iraq, the unexpected announcement
has sparked controversy down under. Anti-war activists and
clergy and have denounced Prime Minister John Howard's plan-
one which the Labor Party says is simply unacceptable. Christine
Baker reports from Sydney.
[top]
H.S.STUDENTS FACE SUSPENSION OVER ANTI-WAR MATERIAL
(2:10)
Student activists at Kennedy High School in Bloomington,
Minnesota, are coming up against school administrators over
the issue of anti-war materials. From KFAI in Twin Cities,
Jason Jones reports.
[top]
MUMIA ABU JAMAL COMMENTS ON SOCIAL SECURITY
(4:05)
As President Bush continues to call for an overhaul of social
security, death row inmate Mumia Abu Jamal comments on the
lack of action from Republicans as well as Democrats to maintain
the nation's retirement safety net.
[top]
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