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> Tue., Aug. 2, 2005
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
Southern Iraqi Governors Calling for Greater Autonomy
Immigration Rights Advocates Denounce New Deportation Program
Connecticut to Close Scandal-Ridden Youth Facility
Bolton Begins New Job as UN Ambassador
New Political Tensions Brewing in Papua
University Students Demonstrate over Ford Foundation Funding
FSRN Headlines
Saudi Arabia King Fahd was buried this morning in an unmarked
grave alongside hundreds of other unmarked grave. Muslim leaders
from around the world prayed with millions of Saudi Muslims.
King Fahd ruled Saudi Arabia for 23 years, which is the worlds
largest oil exporter and home to more than a billion Muslims.
He died on Monday at the age of 83. Abdullah, the fifth son
of Saudi Arabia's founder, King Abdul-Aziz, will take the
crown.
President Bush signed into law the Dominican Republic Central
American Free Trade Agreement. He said it would advance peace
and prosperity through out the region and spread democracy.
(Audio Cut of Bush)
The free trade agreement narrowly passed Congress last week
in a vote of 217 to 215 in the House of Representatives. The
agreement removes trade barriers and opens up US goods in
Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and
the Dominican Republic. It also strengthensprotections for
intellectual property and pharmeceuticals.
One day after threats to reopen a main nuclear plant, Iran
said they will wait 2 more. They say it gives more time for
the European Union to offer incentives for them to stop their
nuclear program.A U.S. intelligence report shows that Iran
is 10 years away from having a nuclear bomb, longer than the
Administration officials have been proclaiming. Selyna Perez
reports from Washington, D.C.
A tribal court in the Cherokee Indian nation is to decide
if a lesbian couple's marriage will be honored under tribal
law. Kurt Gwartney has more from Oklahoma City.
The elderly in Great Britain experience inhumane treatment
because of faulty oversight in their care, according to a
national report released today. Helen Kelly has more from
London.
[top]
Southern Iraqi Governors Calling for Greater Autonomy
(3:54)
Women's groups in Iraq met with US ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad
today,and expressed concerns over the new constitution, saying
that arbitrary interpretations of Islamic law may be used
as a way to limit their rights under the new charter. Following
a strict Sharia code could, for example, deny women equal
rights to divorce and inheritance, and could roll back many
of the rights they've enjoyed for decades that were secured
under the secular 1959 civil law. Meanwhile today, and at
least ten people, including a US soldier, were killed in violence
in Baghdad, Baquba and Ramadi. The US military announced that
six marines were killed on Sunday in the city of Hit. The
chaos in central Iraq has led some southern governors to call
for greater autonomy from the central government. The 9,000
British troops stationed around Basra are occasionally attacked,
and British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said today that the
troops would have to be fully withdrawn, as they are part
of the security problem. In Basra, David Enders reports on
the politics that have developed since the invasion.
[top]
Immigration Rights Advocates Denounce New Deportation
Program (3:44)
El Salvador is experiencing its highest average daily murder
rate in years. According to a preliminary report issued by
the National Police Force, at least 375 people were assassinated
in July, up nearly 40% from the same time last year. Over
2,000 people have been murdered so far this year, with most
of the murders being committed by gang members,many of whom
are deported to El Salvador from the United States. Meanwhile,
in the US, immigrant rights groups and anti-community violence
organizations are reacting with alarm over a new initiative
from the Department of Homeland Security, or DHS, that is
rounding up gang members who are undocumented immigrants and
deporting them. According to the DHS itself, some of those
who have been arrested have never been convicted of a criminal
crime, and are merely suspected of being in a gang. For some,
their only wrong doing was an immigration violation. Mitch
Jeserich reports from Washington.
[top]
Connecticut to Close Scandal-Ridden Youth Facility
(3:33)
The governor of Connecticut announced yesterday she is closing
a scandal-ridden youth facility that is called a school but
is, in reality, a high-security prison. She announced that
smaller facilities will be built that provide more support
to incarcerated youth. Melinda Tuhus reports from New Haven.
[top]
Bolton Begins New Job as UN Ambassador (1:42)
Bypassing a stalemate in the U.S. Senate on the nomination
of John Bolton, President Bush appointed Bolton as U.S. Ambassador
to the United Nations yesterday during the Senate recess,
and in time for the opening of the UN General Assembly session
in September. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan expressed
tempered encouragement, as Bolton began his appointment to
the international body that he once deemed irrelevant. Rebecca
Myles reports.
[top]
New Political Tensions Brewing in Papua
(2:28)
The U.S. House recently approved a bill for debate on Papua.
If passed into law, the bill would likely increase international
pressure on the government to allow the Papuan people to vote
whether to remain a part of Indonesia or become an independent
nation. Indonesian President Soesilo Bambang Yudoyono stated
the bill is a kind of intervention against Indonesia's sovereignty.
In Papua, the Council of Indigenous People, a pro-Independent
parliament, warned it will take power over Papua land on August
15, the day when Indonesia and the Free Ache Movement will
sign their peace agreement. Media outlets in Jakarta are reporting
today that political tension in Papua is rapidly rising. Monica
Lopez reads for Meggy Margiyono from Jakarta.
[top]
University Students Demonstrate over Ford Foundation
Funding (4:11)
The Ford Foundation began international philanthropy soon
after World War II, and claims credit for reducing poverty
and injustice worldwide. But, many progressive academics like
James Petras, are vocal about the CIA using foundations such
as Ford for covert action programs. Now university students
in India are beginning to oppose Ford funding of their higher
education. Vinod K. Jose has more from New Delhi.
[top]
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