Home > Programs
> FSRN
> Tue., June. 7, 2005
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
Thanks to FSRN.org
for making the daily programs available to Pacifica.org
Today's lead stories:
Bolivian President Resigns under Mass Pressure from Social
Movements
Zalmay Khalizad Senate Confirmation Hearing
A Look at the Medhi Army in Iraq
Caspian Pipeline Open Amid Controversy
Republicans Oppose Tearing Down Snake River Dams in Washington
Student Loan Interest Rates to Increase
FSRN Headlines
The U.S. Senate kept its promise on judicial nominee Janice
Rogers Brown and closed discussion in a 64-32 vote. Civil
rights and environmental groups oppose the presidential nominee
saying she has issued rulings that are hostile to affirmative
action, basic principles of fairness and who even conservative
columnist George Will considers “out of the mainstream.”
The Senate is expected to grant a lifetime appointment to
Brown tomorrow for what many consider to be the second highest
court in the country.
A Chilean court has lifted the immunity from former dictator
Augusto Pinochet. Jorge Garretón reports from Santiago.
Multinational oil giant Chevron-Texaco was granted a construction
permit by the Mexican government to build a major facility
on environmentally sensitive land. Luz Ruiz reports from Chiapas.
On National Hunger Awareness Day here in the U.S., hundreds
of people rallied against hunger in a demonstration organized
by America’s Second Harvest. According to organizers,
36 million Americans, a large percentage of whom are children,
still constantly struggle to obtain their daily bread. And,
from People Without Borders at KPFK in Los Angeles, Dan Fritz
reports on how hunger adversely affects Californians and people
of color.
A Los Alamos whistle blower was beaten, according to him,
in an attempt to discourage him from testifying about alleged
corruption at the national nuclear lab. Leslie Clark has more
from Albuquerque.
[top]
Bolivian President Resigns under Mass Pressure from
Social Movements (3:43)
The Organization of American States, or OAS, continues its
meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It is the first time
in over 20 years that the US has hosted the meeting- although
this year marks the first time ever a non-US backed Secretary
General, Jose Miguel Insulza, is heading the group. George
Bush addressed the OAS today, stressing the need for Free
Trade in the region, particularly through the Dominican Republic
Central American Free Trade Agreement, or DR-CAFTA. [AUDIO
:08] The parliaments of the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica,
and Nicaragua have yet to pass the Agreement. The OAS is also
considering ways to aid Bolivia in its current crisis. Last
night Bolivian President Carlos Mesa announced his resignation
after 18 months in office- in a move that has been rumored
for weeks. Yesterday marches and blockades that have shaken
the country for almost three weeks increased in intensity
when hundreds of thousands of protestors filled the streets
of the capital city of La Paz. Linda Farthing reports.
[top]
Zalmay Khalizad Senate Confirmation Hearing
(3:26)
Zalmay Khalilzad testified at his Senatorial confirmation
hearing today to become US Ambassador to Iraq. In front the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Khalilzad pledged to help
break the back of the Iraqi resistance. A former advisor to
oil giant UnoCal, Khalilzad has served as US Ambassador to
Afghanistan since 2003. If confirmed he will become the top
US civilian official in Baghdad. Mitch Jeserich reports from
Capitol Hill.
[top]
A Look at the Medhi Army in Iraq (4:04)
In Iraq, four bombs went off within minutes of each other
Today in the troubled town of Hawija, about 40 miles south
of Kirkuk. The attacks appeared to be coordinated and were
aimed at checkpoints manned by Iraqi forces. Meanwhile, Iraqi
Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr said he will stay away from
Iraqi politics as long as the U.S. troops remain. We're joined
by Isam Rasheed, an independent Iraqi journalist in Baghdad,
and Mr. Basheer al-Helli with the Sader office in Baghdad.
[top]
Caspian Pipeline Open Amid Controversy (3:06)
The Baku - Tbilisi - Ceyhan, or BTC oil pipeline recently
started operations. The project is a result of efforts by
oil corporations through the support of US, British and regional
governments. The opening ceremony was attended by presidents
from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Georgia and Turkey, and by US
Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman. FSRN's Anastasia Gnezditskaia
reports on the significance and controversy surrounding the
pipeline.
[top]
Republicans Oppose Tearing Down Snake River Dams
in Washington (3:52)
A recent court's ruling that the federal government's $6
billion Northwest Salmon Recovery Plan violated the endangered
species act, along with an unexpectedly low number of salmon
returning from the sea this year, has resulted in renewed
discussions about tearing down four Snake River dams in Southwestern
Washington State. However, some of the region's Republican
lawmakers are trying their best to keep dam-breaching off
the table. Leigh Robartes has more.
[top]
Student Loan Interest Rates to Increase
(2:09)
Starting July 1, student loan interest rates will increase
by close to 2 percent. In order for student borrowers to receive
low interest rates, student and consumer groups are urging
students, particularly recent graduates, to consolidate their
education loans by June 30. These same groups are also calling
on Congress to oppose bills that would eliminate the fixed
rate option in student loan consolidation altogether. Selina
Musuta has more from Capitol Hill.
[top]
|
Listen
to the show 
Help
stream
download
