Home > Programs
> FSRN
> Mon., Feb. 6, 2006
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
Thanks to FSRN.org
for making the daily programs available to Pacifica.org
Today's lead stories:
Attorney General Defends Eavesdropping to Skeptical Senate
Judiciary Committee
President Bush Proposes $2.8-trillion Budget to Congress
The Case Against Internet Wire Tapping
Jordanian Reactions to Prophet Mohammed Cartoon Depiction
Orange County Activist Pursuing First Amendment Civil Case
Mumia Abu Jamal Commentary: Free Leonard Peltier
FSRN Headlines
DOOMED FERRY OWNER'S OFFICE ATTACKED
Family members of victims of the Egyptian ferry accident today
stormed the offices of the company that owned the ship. Egyptian
police reportedly used tear gas to disperse the crowd of angry
relatives. Families complain that little information has been
shared with them about the identities of survivors, victims,
and missing people. Although just under 400 people were rescued,
some 1000 are believed to have died when the ferry sank into
the Red Sea early Friday morning.
PLANS FOR NEW PALESTINIAN GOVERNMENT
Two weeks after their electoral victory, Hamas officials are
holding talks in Egypt today to plan the future Palestinian
government. Manar Jibrin has the story.
During the meeting in Cairo, Hamas is expected to weigh the
possibility of forming a coalition government that includes
the outgoing Fatah party. Hamas leaders met with President
Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday to discuss the composition of the
new government. President Abbas agreed to convene parliament
on February 16th, which would be the first step in the process
of forming a new government. Hamas won the majority of seats
in what will be the new Palestinian Parliament, displacing
the long- ruling Fateh party, which has been increasingly
implicated in corruption scandals. Just yesterday, the Palestinian
Attorney General, Ahmed al-Moghani, announced that $700m worth
of aid has gone missing. Mr. Moghani is carrying out an investigation
into alleged corruption. This controversial declaration came
as the Palestinian Authority is expecting an urgent aide of
$300 million by the donor countries. Israel's acting Prime
Minister has said he will continue to work with president
Abbas, provided he does not co-operate with Hamas or allow
Hamas to control the Palestinian government. For FSRN, from
IMEMC.Org, this is Manar Jibrin.
PRESIDENTAL ELECTIONS IN COSTA RICA
Costa Rican voters cast their ballots yesterday in a presidential
election. With 80% of the votes counted, the two top contenders
are virtually neck-in-neck. The pending free trade agreement
with the U.S. known as CAFTA has been an issue in the run-up
to the elections. Leading candidate and multi-millionaire
former president, Oscar Arias, supports the free trade agreement.
The other top contender, Otton Solís, has called for
a re-negotiation of the treaty. Costa Rica has yet to ratify
CAFTA.
HAITIAN ELECTIONS
Voters in Haiti will head to the polls tomorrow in the first
presidential election since the 2004 ouster of President Jean
Bertrand Artistide. Tuesday's election comes after multiple
delays. No polling stations will be open in the country's
largest poor neighborhood, Cite Soleil, which is known as
an Aristide stronghold.
COUNTRYWIDE SHUTDOWN IN NEPAL
Yesterday, Maoist rebels in Nepal imposed a seven-day countrywide
shutdown, ahead of municipal elections scheduled for Wednesday.
From Kathmandu, Carey Biron reports.
The shutdown this week forces the closure of schools, factories
and shops, and keeps both public and private transport off
roads. Before dawn on Sunday, government officials seized
around 500 buses and other vehicles in an attempt to force
the owners to continue plying roadways. While scattered rogue
buses did drive usual capital routes this morning, they were
more expensive and were accompanied by armed riot police.
Much of the rest of the country reportedly remains completely
crippled. With both Maoist forces and opposition parties boycotting
Wednesday's elections as an attempt by the King to validate
and cement his rule, most severely affected have been those
few candidates still running. Two contenders have already
been killed, while bombs have been blown up at the houses
of many others. This weekend, ten out of 13 un-opposed winners
in eastern Nepal hurriedly fled over the border into India
on a security-related "pilgrimage". With less than
half the number of candidates as there are open seats, government
officials have reportedly been placing candidates in "safe
houses" – so they won't drop out of the race. Carey
Biron, Kathmandu.
AI REPORT ON GUANTANAMO
Amnesty International released a report today on the conditions
of around 500 men detained without charge at the US Naval
base at Guantanamo Bay. From London, Naomi Fowler has the
story.
The report contains the testimonies of former detainees and
their relatives, which build up a grim picture of life in
Guantanamo Bay. To this day, some families do not know the
whereabouts of their loved ones, or even if they are alive.
The testimonies detail the ongoing hunger strike and numerous
suicide attempts; all allegations of ill treatment have not
been independently investigated and organizations like Amnesty
International have yet to be allowed access to Guantanamo
Bay. Amnesty International has made a number of demands of
the US government today; they want the US to publish a list
of all those detained by the US in Guantánamo and elsewhere;
to try all Guantánamo detainees in a court of law or
release them; to close Guantánamo and open up all US
detention facilities to independent scrutiny; and for all
allegations of torture and ill-treatment of detainees in US
custody to be investigated. This is Naomi Fowler in London
for Free Speech Radio News.
[top]
Attorney General Defends Eavesdropping to Skeptical
Senate Judiciary Committee (4:33)
Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez testified before the Senate
Judiciary Committee today, in defense of warrant-less wiretapping
on US citizens. Gonzalez called the controversial practice
crucial to combating Al Qaeda, and within the limits of the
Congressional powers given to the President. But many Democrats
now question why he didn’t seek Congressional approval
for absolute clearance. Leigh Ann Caldwell has more from Capital
Hill.
[top]
President Bush Proposes $2.8-trillion Budget to Congress
(2:25)
President Bush proposed a $2.8-trillion budget to Congress
today for fiscal year 2007. The budget would reduce funding
for non-security domestic programs, such as Medicare and food
stamps, extend most of his tax cuts, and boost defense spending.
Yanmei Xie has the story in Washington DC
[top]
The Case Against Internet Wire Tapping (3:46)
As Attorney General Gonzalez testifies in Washington, the
nation continues to be embroiled in internet surveillance
scandals, including the government subpoenas of Google, Microsoft,
and Yahoo search records. People in the U.S. are critical
of digital surveillance. However, as high profile spying cases
claims top headlines, civil liberties advocates are working
hard to stop another government program designed to make it
easier for law enforcement officials to spy on citizens. Sarah
Olson has more.
[top]
Jordanian Reactions to Prophet Mohammed Cartoon Depiction
(3:19)
World leaders are calling for calm today, after demonstrators
in Lebanon and Syria set fire to Danish and Norwegian diplomatic
missions over the weekend, in protest of a Danish cartoon
depiction of the Prophet Mohammed. Protests have also taken
places in Iran, Iraq, Indonesia, Egypt, Palestine, Kashmir
and beyond – including in Afghanistan where at least
4 protestors have been killed in clashes with police. Meanwhile,
Muslims in Jordan were divided in their response to the cartoons
and the protests that ensued. While some see it as a form
of protecting religion and barring the West from mocking Islam,
others view it as a haphazard response that will only deepen
the rift between East and West and instill hatred and misunderstanding.
Oula Farawati has more from Amman.
[top]
Orange County Activist Pursuing First Amendment Civil
Case (4:04)
Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Monsoor is now under investigation
by the City Attorney’s office for his actions during
a contentious public comment segment of last month’s
city council meeting where the issue of deputizing police
officers to enforce Federal immigration law was discussed.
An Orange County immigrant rights activist, who was arrested
during the public comment period, is pursuing a first amendment
civil case against the City. Kelly Barnes has more.
[top]
Mumia Abu Jamal Commentary: Free Leonard Peltier
(1:35)
Today marks the 30 year anniversary of the incarceration
of American Indian Movement member Leonard Peltier. Peltier
was charged and eventually convicted for the death of an FBI
agent during a shoot-out at the Pine Ridge Reservation in
1975. Amnesty International has called Peltier a political
prisoner, while Peltier maintains his innocence. In this essay,
FSRN Commentator Mumia Abu Jamal reflects on the support that
is need to Free Leanord Peltier.
[top]
|
Listen
to the show 
Help
stream
download
