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> Mon., Oct. 24, 2005
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
FBI’s Improper Surveillance
Dick Durbin Comments on CIA Leak
Ben Bernake Nominated to Replace Alan Greenspan
UN Raises Concern Over Kashmir Earthquake Relief
Turkish-German Relations and EU
Undocumented Immigrant Laborers in New Orleans
Prison Population Continues to Rise
FSRN Headlines
EXPLOSION'S AT PALESTINE HOTEL
At least 20 people are reportedly dead after three massive
car bombs exploded outside of the Palestine Hotel in Baghdad
today. The hotel is used as a base of operations for numerous
foreign journalists. Although there are no fatalities reported
inside of the hotel, the building was damaged in the series
of explosions.
SHOOTING IN TULKAREM
An assassination in a West Bank refugee camp could complicate
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas's efforts to demobilize
Palestinian armed groups. Manar Jibrin reports from the West
Bank.
Two Palestinian fighters were killed Sunday night when Israeli
troops opened fire on a house in the Tulkarem refugee camp.
Luai Al-Sa'di, a leader of Al-Quds Brigades the armed wing
of the Islamic Jihad movement in the West Bank was killed
during the ensuing gun battle Islamic Jihad has vowed to avenge
the killing of Al Sa'di. Another Islamic Jihad operative was
killed in the attack and dozens of civilians were arrested.
During last week's visit to the United States, President Mahmoud
Abbas vowed to disarm the resistance groups operating within
Palestinian territory. Nasser Jouma'a from the Aqsa Martyr
brigades, a group that Abbas has promised to disarm said assassinations
does not help truce efforts.
(AUDIO CLIP)"Israel did not commit to any agreements,
and this is driving the country into more security deterioration
and more violence and bloodshed. This does not prepare the
ground for truce that would advance the diplomatic efforts."
The ongoing Israeli practice of targeted assassinations could
pose a serious threat to the efforts of the Palestinian Authority
to disarm the resistance and absorb them in its security and
other departments. For FSRN from IMEMC.Org in Palestine I'm
Manar Jibrin.
RACE RIOTS IN BIRMINGHAM
Police and community leaders in the English town of Birmingham
are appealing for calm after a weekend of racially-fuelled
violence between local youths. UK correspondent Helen Kelly
has more.
Hostility erupted after residents attended a public meeting
on Saturday addressing concerns about an unconfirmed sex attack
on a 14-year-old Jamaican girl in a store run by Asian shopkeepers.
Shops and pubs were ransacked and cars set on fire during
the disorder, which reportedly involved several hundred rioters.
A number of petrol bombs were thrown and at least 12 gunshots
were reported. Four people were stabbed during the violent
clashes, including a man in his 20s, who later died from the
injuries. A total of 35 people were taken to hospital with
police reporting up to 80 separate criminal incidents. Five
people were arrested. The rioting continued into Sunday when
police and youths were involved in a standoff, during which
time a local mosque was attacked. An 18-year-old man has died
in hospital after he was shot close to the scene. While order
has been returned to Birmingham, fears of further clashes
remain in one of the city's most ethnically diverse areas,
which was similarly scarred some 20 years ago during the 1985
Handsworth riots, sparked by the arrest of a black man after
a police stop and search. Helen Kelly, reporting from London
for Free Speech Radio News.
GUN REFERENDUM IN BRAZIL
Brazilians went to the polls yesterday to vote in the first
referendum in the country's history. In Sao Paolo, Natalia
Viana has the details.
The results of the referendum were very disappointing for
those engaged in the campaign to reduce the number of guns
within national territory. Brazilian voters decided 63.5%
against a ban on the sale of firearms and ammunition. The
referendum was part of an important legislative package approved
by Congress in December 2003. Since then, it has been illegal
for anyone - except private security, police and the armed
forces, to carry a firearm. The sale of guns will still be
allowed, although with a stricter set of criteria. Manufacturers
are also now obliged to print a "code" on every
weapon and each bullet in order to make it easier to track
its origin in case of a crime. According to official figures,
in 2003 firearms caused 108 deaths per day; about 40 thousand
per year. That represents 63% of all the homicides committed
in Brazil. For FSRN I´m Natalia Viana in São
Paulo, Brazil.
WILMA'S PATH
Residents of Cancun are surveying the destruction wrought
by Hurricane Wilma. The storm cut a quick path over Florida
this morning and has shot out into the Atlantic Ocean. From
WMNF in Tampa, Andrew Stelzer has more.
Mexican troops and federal police moved into downtown Cancun
today; they've set up checkpoints to search people for what
they say are stolen goods. As in the aftermath of hurricane
Katrina, some people are entering deserted stores for survival
needs, while others are stealing furniture and appliances.
Four people were killed by Wilma is Mexico, and thousands
of homes have been destroyed in Cancun and the island of Cozumel.
Many tourists are as of yet unaccounted for, and the Marriott
has announce the closure of their resorts through the end
of the year. More than 3 million people in Florida lost power
because of the storm, which crossed the state early this morning.
There are early reports of roofs being torn off, and one death
has been reported. In Key West, the streets are flooded, and
many residents decided against evacuating, despite orders
to do so by officials. For FSRN, from WMNF in Tampa, Im Andrew
Stelzer.
[top]
FBI’s Improper Surveillance (3:40)
Newly declassified documents indicate there were over 150
violations by the FBI in surveillance activities in 2003,
which were connected to the Patriot Act. This comes after
Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez testified to Congress that
there were no violations connected to the expanded powers
and just before Congress is to put its final touches on the
Patriot Reauthorization bill. Mitch Jeserich reports from
Washington.
[top]
Dick Durbin Comments on CIA Leak (2:21)
President Bush said today that the investigation into the
outing of an undercover CIA operative was very serious. This
comes as the special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, appears
to be close to indicting two top White House officials. Karl
Rove and Scooter Libby in the case. Some Republican Senators
have begun saying that Fitzgerald may be over zealous in the
case and they say possible perjury charges would be little
more than legal technicalities. Democratic Senator Dick Durbin
of Illinois made this statement today from the Senate floor.
[AUDIO CUT: Durbin (1:38)] Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois,
commenting today on the floor of the Senate regarding the
investigation into the outing of an undercover CIA operative.
[top]
Ben Bernake Nominated to Replace Alan Greenspan
(:51)
In other news from the capitol. [AUDIO CUT: Bernake] Ben
Bernanke, a former member of the Fed board and current chairman
of the president's Council of Economic Advisers, has been
nominated to succeed Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan.
Some analysts say Bernanke might be more tolerant of choices
that could allow consumer prices to rise… Although,
in his comments to the press earlier today, Bernanke said
he would not venture far from current standards. [AUDIO CUT:
Bernake] Alan Greenspan's term as Federal Reserve Chairman
is set to end in late January.
[top]
UN Raises Concern Over Kashmir Earthquake Relief
(3:55)
United Nations officials are raising serious concerns about
the relief work in the quake devastated parts of Pakistan
and Pakistan administrated Kashmir. Kofi Annan talked last
week about the risk of a second wave of deaths as winter approaches.
UN humanitarian aid area coordinator Rashid Khalikov, in Muzaffrabad
on Sunday, said the world did not clearly comprehend the magnitude
and complexity of the disaster in its first days and that
it was just now coming to grips with the catastrophe. UN officials
have called the relief operation in Pakistan and Kashmir one
of the toughest in the world. Meanwhile, traditional rivals
India and Pakistan are talking about proposals to open the
line of control in divided Kashmir. FSRN’s Shahnawaz
Khan has more.
[top]
Turkish-German Relations and EU (3:24)
Turkey has officially begun accession talks with the European
Union, a process which will take a decade to complete. Austria
and Germany's new Chanceller would prefer to see Turkey be
a "privileged partner" - instead of gaining full
membership. But many believe that this is already the case,
while Turkey's Prime Minister has made it clear that the only
way forward now is full EU membership. Since 1999, when full
EU membership was first touted as a possibility, human rights
have significantly improved within Turkey. But International
Human Rights organizations note that there are still problems.
Cinnamon Nippard has more from Berlin.
[top]
Undocumented Immigrant Laborers in New Orleans
(2:34)
As many as 1,000 undocumented immigrants are currently working
in New Orleans, according to aid workers in the city. The
immigrant workers are usually paid far below the prevailing
wage, not paid overtime, and are sometimes denied medical
care – and even food and water. FSRN’s Christian
Roseland reports from New Orleans, where he spoke with immigrant
workers.
[top]
Prison Population Continues to Rise (2:47)
A report released by the US Justice Department over the
weekend reveals that the prison population in California and
around the country continues to increase. Grace Turner reports.
[top]
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