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> Mon., Aug. 1, 2005
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
John Bolton Appointed as UN Ambassador While Congress is in
Recess
John Garang Dies in Helicopter Crash
The Refilling of Iraq's Marshlands
Entire Pastors for Peace Caravan Crosses US-Mexico Border
Anti-Gay Hate Crimes on the Rise in Tampa Bay, Florida
US Senate Passes Bill Favorable to the Gun Industry
FSRN Headlines
France has deported two radical Moslem preachers and says
it will kick outmore by the end of the month, as governments
across Europe tightensecurity in the wake of last month's
London bombings. Tony Cross reports from Paris.
Iran says they will restart work at a main nuclear plant
today because ofa missed deadline by the European Union to
offer incentives for Iran todismantle their nuclear program.
The European Union says they will offera package in the next
couple of days. The United States say they will urgethe United
Nations to impose sanctions. The International Atomic Energy
Agency urged Iran to hold off until a proposal is offered.
Nuclear 6 nation talks are stagnant at the end of the 7th
day, butnegotiations are continuing. Severine Bordon has more
from Beijing.
According to internal e-mails made available to the Wall
Street Journal and the New York Times, two United States Air
Force prosecutors had grave concerns about the fairness of
military trials against alleged terrorists at Guantanamo Bay,
Cuba. Ben Freedland has more from DC.
The first ever government study reveals insight into rampant
sexual violence in the prison system. The Department of Justice's
Bureau of Statistics, interviewed administration officials
at 8600 prisons. They include all types of facilities: local,
state, federal, juvenile, military, and immigration prisons.
The report shows that in 2004, 2,100 instances of sexual violence,
including rape, sexual assault, and sexual abuse, have been
confirmed. But more than 8,000 are alleged. And 55 percent
of the violence was conducted by prison staff. The first-ever
report is required by the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003.
Louisa Stannow is Acting Director of Stop Prisoner Rape says
the DOJ report is a good first step, but is only includes
a fraction of cases:
(Audio Cut)
Next year, the Dept of Justice will question 60,000 inmates,
rather than the prison staff, under anonymity, to get a more
accurate account ofsexual violence.
[top]
John Bolton Appointed as UN Ambassador While Congress
is in Recess (2:27)
President Bush appointed John Bolton as the next US ambassador
to the United Nations today, by passing the Senate confirmation
process where Bolton's nomination has been stalled for months.
Bolton will serve as Ambassador for the remainder of the current
Congress that ends in January 2007. Critics say that by by-passing
the Senate, Bolton's legitimacy has been damaged. FSRN's Mitch
Jeserich has more.
[top]
John Garang Dies in Helicopter Crash (3:43)
At least 24 people died in protests in Sudan's capital of
Khartoum today, following the death of the country's vice-president,
John Garang. Garang, a former Sudanese rebel leader who signed
a peace deal ending his country's 20-year civil war, was killed
in a helicopter crash near the Uganda border while returning
from a visit to the country. Rioters burned cars and threw
stones after Garang's body was found this weekend. Some southern
Sudanese are suspicious about the circumstances surrounding
Garang's death, but Sudanese leaders are calling for calm,
promising the nation's peace process would remain on track.
Joshua Kyalimpa takes a look at the leader's legacy, beginning
with a speech Garang gave earlier this year.
[top]
The Refilling of Iraq's Marshlands (3:57)
The debate over Iraq's constitution continued this weekend,
and the drafting committee announced today it would have the
constitution finished in time to meet an August 15 deadline.
Members of the government heard a presentation this weekend
on the refilling of Iraq's southern marshes, part of which
have been refilled after being drained of water in the 1990s.
FSRN's David Enders has more.
[top]
Entire Pastors for Peace Caravan Crosses US-Mexico
Border (1:45)
By 2:00 PM Central Time, all 120 members of the Pastors
for Peace Caravan has successfully crossed the US-Mexico Border
after a 1 ½ house customs process, and this time nothing
was confiscated from the group. Part of the Pastors for Peace
"Travel Challenge" involves bringing back an item
- to challenge the rules against the blockade. This year,
the group carried 4 books, including a Cuban constitution,
a report on optometry programs being formed by Cuban doctors
in Venezuela, and one on evangelical movements and churches
in Cuba. Though the caravanistas today reported a surprisingly
smooth process, Rev. Lucius Walker, Founder of Pastors for
Peace, says people were pressed by customs agents to sign
additional forms and were probed about what they did during
their stay in Cuba. [AUDIO CUT] 4 video cameras monitored
the group in the interview room, and roughly 20 customs and
homeland security border patrol agents took photographs of
people while being interviewed. 43 boxes of aid confiscated
from the group last week are still being held by US Customs,
under the direction of the Department of Commerce. 20 Congressional
Representatives have lent their support to try to free the
aid, including Charles Rangel, Sheila Jackson Lee, and Lydia
Velasquez.
[top]
Anti-Gay Hate Crimes on the Rise in Tampa Bay, Florida
(3:47)
A gay man's home was set on fire in an apparent hate crime
in Polk County, Florida. About one month ago, the neighboring
Hillsborough County Commission banned county participation
in or acknowledgment of gay pride. Now, Tampa Bay area community
members are afraid that local residents are taking their cues
from increasingly bigoted public officials, and there may
be more violence to come. From WMNF, Andrew Stelzer reports.
[top]
US Senate Passes Bill Favorable to the Gun Industry
(3:52)
By a vote of 65 to 31, the US Senate passed a bill prohibiting
civil liability suits from being initiated or continued against
the firearms industry. If passed by the House and signed by
the President, this legislation will protect firearm and ammunition
manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and importers paying
damages resulting from the misuse of their products. DC Radio
Coop's Ryme Katkhouda reports on efforts mobilizing against
the bill, challenging its constitutionality.
[top]
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