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> Wed., Jan. 25, 2006
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
Palestinians Vote In Their First Parliamentary Elections In
10 Years
Travelers Face A Future Of High Security Passports
Congress Looks At Problems In The New Medicare Drug Plan
Massachusettes' Toxic Clean Up Sites Possibly Unsafe For Future
Homes
Santa Cruz Police Officials Are Being Investigated For Spying
On Citizens
Political Negotions Continue In Iraq
Tamil Tigers And The Sri Lankan Government Agree To Hold Cease
Fire Talks
FSRN Headlines
2005, HOTTEST YEAR ON RECORD: NASA
An analysis performed by NASA's Goddard Institute for Space
Studies has concluded that 2005 was the hottest year on record.
The previous record holder was 1998. The study found a clear
trend of global warming, as the top five hottest years include
2002, 2003, and 2004. The NASA report states that the rapid
warming "gives urgency to discussions about how to slow
greenhouse gas emissions".
GRAND JURY HEARING FOR BAY AREA ACTIVISTS
Bay area activists are being questioned today in San Francisco
about their possible ties to organizations the FBI considers
to be domestic terror threats. Sarah Olson has more from San
Francisco.
Three animal rights activists appeared before a federal grand
jury in San Francisco today. The grand jury probe is looking
for information about Daniel Andreas San Diego, wanted in
the 2003 bombings of Bay Area Chiron and Shaklee corporations
-- supposedly targeted for alleged animal rights violations
stemming from lab experiments. This latest round of grand
jury summons comes at a time when the government has launched
a nation-wide campaign against animal rights and environmental
activists. In December, the American Civil Liberties Union
charged the FBI with using counter terrorism resources to
spy on animal rights organizations. In May of 2005, senior
FBI officials said animal rights groups and environmentalists
posed one of the most serious threats of terrorism the nation
faces today. To date, no one brought before the San Francisco
grand jury has been charged with a crime and advocates are
afraid the FBI's campaign of investigation and surveillance
could quash legitimate political speech. For Free Speech Radio
News, in San Francisco, I'm Sarah Olson.
PINOCHET'S ELDEST DAUGHTER HELD IN DC
The eldest daughter of Chile's former dictator Augusto Pinochet
was arrested today at Washington's Dulles Airport after fleeing
a summons issued by a Chilean judge. From Santiago, FSRN's
Jorge Garretón has the story.
Lucia Pinochet, the eldest daughter of Chile's former dictator
is being held in Washington at the request of Chilean authorities.
She is now awaiting deportation. Yesterday, she fled to Argentina
where she took a flight to the US. Chilean magistrate, Carlos
Cerda, ordered her arrest after she failed to appear at her
arraignment alongside 4 other family members yesterday. Her
mother, herself, and 3 siblings are facing charges of tax
evasion. The rest of the family did appear and are now free
on bail. The investigation into the Pinochet family's finances
is the latest twist of the hard fall to earth of Chile's former
first family that grew accustomed to a posh lifestyle and
ill-gotten privileges. As for the aging former dictator, he
still faces charges of human rights abuses, tax fraud and
illicit enrichment. For FSRN, this is Jorge Garretón
in Santiago.
AU SUMMIT WRAPS UP
Member nations of the African Union wrapped up a two day summit
last night in Khartoum. Congo-Brazzaville will now take over
the leadership of the 53-nation union, after the end of Nigeria's
term. Summit host, Sudan, withdrew its bid to chair the African
Union after reaching a compromise deal that will allow the
country to take over leadership duties in 2007. Some AU officials
have expressed concern over Sudan's ability to chair the organization,
citing the country's record of human rights violations in
the Darfur region.
INDIA REFORMS RETAIL MARKET RULES
Recent reforms approved by India's government may have a dramatic
impact on the country's domestic retail market. Jean Parker
reports from Pune, India.
Prior restrictions had prevented foreign firms from operating
their outlets in India. Foreign businesses had been limited
to the ownership of franchises, as the government protected
domestic companies from outside encroachment. The new reforms
will now permit outside retailers to own a majority share
in retail operations, provided the products are of a single
brand. Some critics of the reforms worry that brand-name apparel
manufacturers will now be able to undermine indigenous production
of similar products. The government's decision is the latest
in a series of liberalizations designed to encourage foreign
investment in the country's booming economy. The regulations
are opposed by the Communist Party, which is a coalition partner
in the Congress Party government. India's retail market is
the 8th largest in the world and worth an estimated 250 billion
dollars. For Free Speech Radio News, I'm Jean Parker in Pune,
India.
WSF UNDERWAY IN CARACAS
The sixth World Social Forum is underway in Caracas, Venezuela.
Yesterday's opening activities kicked of a week-long series
of events, including conferences, workshops, and concerts.
Organizers describe the World Social Forum as an open meeting
place for "social movements, networks, NGOs and other
civil society organizations opposed to neo-liberalism and
a world dominated by capital or by any form of imperialism".
[top]
PALESTINIANS VOTE IN THEIR FIRST PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS
IN 10 YEARS (4:09)
Palestinians cast their ballots today in their first parliamentary
elections in 10 years. High voter turnout and a sharp rivalry
between the ruling party Fatah and their main contender Hamas,
which is competing in its first national elections, mark the
vote. Early exit polls indicate Fatah winning with 43% and
Hamas at 32%. Although experts warn a large margin of error
occurs due to the complex nature of the Palestinian election
system. Laila El-Haddad has more from Gaza.
[top]
TRAVELERS FACE A FUTURE OF HIGH SECURITY PASSPORTS
(3:04)
The Senate Appropriations Committee examined the issue of
biometrics and border technology today in a hearing on Capitol
Hill. At stake are plans to require all travelers into the
US to have passports with new digital technology, as well
as funding for new technologies to monitor who is coming into
and leaving the country. Darby Hickey reports from our Washington
Bureau.
[top]
CONGRESS LOOKS AT PROBLEMS IN THE NEW MEDICARE DRUG
PLAN (3:02)
In an attempt to sort out the numerous problems with the
new Medicare program, the head of the prescription drug plan
met with members of Congress. This comes one day after the
federal government said they would reimburse states for picking
up the cost of the federally funded program. Leigh Ann Caldwell
has more on this story from Capitol Hill.
[top]
MASSACHUSETTES' TOXIC CLEAN UP SITES POSSIBLY UNSAFE
FOR FUTURE HOMES (2:30)
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has licensed private firms
to oversee toxic clean ups, but state audits find that three-fourths
of the clean up sites are deficient. Meanwhile, developers
are planning to build new homes on some of these sites. Chuck
Rosina has the story of one such site.
[top]
SANTA CRUZ POLICE OFFICIALS ARE BEING INVESTIGATED
FOR SPYING ON CITIZENS (2:42)
While the Bush administration defends its use of wiretapping
to monitor the activities of US citizens, city officials in
Santa Cruz, CA are coming under fire over revelations that
undercover police were caught spying on locals planning a
Do-It-Yourself New Year's parade. FSRN’s Vinny Lombardo
explores the serious questions that the case poses about the
legality of the surveillance.
[top]
POLITICAL NEGOTIONS CONTINUE IN IRAQ (1:46)
An Iraqi journalist was killed this week outside the western
city of Ramadi while filming fighting there between U.S. troops
and Iraqi rebels. Mahmoud Zaal worked for Baghdad Television
and it was unclear whether he had died as a result of U.S.
or Iraqi rebel fire. As fighting and political negotiations
continue in the country, some Iraqi politicians took the recent
hajj holiday to practice some diplomacy. Iraqi cleric Moqtada
As-Sadr returned to Iraq after visiting Saudia Arabia and
Iran following last week's pilgrimage. Salam Talib and David
Enders file this report.
[top]
TAMIL TIGERS AND THE SRI LANKAN GOVERNMENT AGREE
TO HOLD CEASE FIRE TALKS (2:18)
Tamil Tiger rebels agreed Wednesday to hold talks with the
Sri Lankan government in Geneva, Switzerland breaking a three
year deadlock in the peace process. This was revealed after
the visiting Norwegian envoy, Eric Solheim, held lengthy crucial
talks with the reclusive leader of the Tamil Tigers in the
rebel held northern town of Kilinochchi. Ponniah Manikavasagam
has more.
[top]
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