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FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
John Bolton Resigns as US Ambassador to the United Nations
US Supreme Court Will Define Future of School Racial Integration
Laws
Concerns Rise about Bush’s Pick for Defense Secretary
Venezuelan Election Results Good for Chavez
Haitian Senate Hopeful Faces Charges
Resistance to Gentrification in South Africa
FSRN Headlines
DHS TO ASSESS TRAVELERS
A coalition of civil rights and privacy advocates are urging
the US government to reject a new program slated to begin
this week that could create secret, terrorist ratings on tens
of millions of American citizens. Groups say the proposal
looks suspiciously like part of the controversial "Total
Information Awareness" program, which the government
was forced to abandon. FSRN's Catherine Komp reports.
The "Automated Tracking System" program was initially
proposed for screening cargo. But last month, the Department
of Homeland Security quietly issued a notice expanding the
program to include travelers. The program would assign a "risk
assessment" to millions of people seeking to enter or
exit the U.S. Groups say it's essentially a "terrorist
risk rating," that will determine whether people are
searched, and even allowed to enter or exit the country. The
ratings would be secret, and maintained by the government
for 40 years. Lillie Coney of the Electronic Privacy Information
Center: (sound). DHS calls the program "one of the most
advanced" in the world. The agency said it will identify
"suspicious or unusual behavior" using a set of
"constantly evolving" rules. However, DHS itself
admits there are privacy risks, including inaccurate information
used against people who may not be aware that the government
is compiling data on them. For FSRN, I'm Catherine Komp.
US MARINE FOUND GUILTY OF RAPE
A Philippine court today convicted a US Marine for raping
a 23-year-old Filipino woman last year, and sentenced him
to 40 years in prison. Three other co-accused were acquitted
for lack of evidence. Girlie Linao reports.
Hundreds of people who gathered outside the courthouse in
Manila's financial city of Makati broke into cheers and applause
when the verdict was announced. Inside, the complainant, identified
only as Nicole, cried as soon as Judge Benjamin Pozon said
he was convinced that Lance Corporal Daniel Smith took advantage
of her alcohol intoxication to sexually abuse her on November
1, 2005. The decision marks the first time for an American
soldier to be convicted of sexual abuse against Filipino women
in the country. But the fight is not yet over for Nicole.
Lawyers for Smith are invoking a security agreement between
the Philippines and the United States in seeking that their
client be turned over to the US Embassy while they appealed
the court's decision. For Free Speech Radio News, I'm Girlie
Linao.
PINOCHET HAS HEART ATTACK
Chile's former dictator Augusto Pinochet remains hospitalized
after suffering a heart attack yesterday. Jorge Garretón
reports from Santiago.
This morning the Military Hospital issued its first bulletin
of the day saying Pinochet remains in critical condition and
that the next 24 hours are critical. The Hospital said the
91 year-old dictator will remain hospitalized for at least
10 days. Outside the Hospital a throng of hard-core Pinochet
supporters are holding a vigil, praying he recovers. The Government
has refused to comment of the possibility of Pinochet's death.
Human rights lawyers and family members of the detained and
disappeared initially questioned Pinochet's heart attack,
arguing the former dictator's attorneys always use his health
as a defense tactic. The heart attack came just days after
a fresh round of indictments. For FSRN this is Jorge Garretón
in Santiago.
BLAIR'S NUCLEAR LEGACY
Tony Blair announced today to the British Parliament that
he plans to renew Trident, Britain's nuclear weapons system.
From London, Naomi Fowler reports:
Britain's nuclear system Trident consists of 200 operational
nuclear warheads based on four nuclear submarines. The lifespan
of the current Trident system ends in 2024 and renewing it
is estimated to cost around $50bn. The government claims an
urgent decision is needed now. However, the leader of the
Liberal Democrat party Sir Menzies Campbell says a decision
could be delayed until 2014: (sound) "There's no need
to take the decision now. The lives of the existing boats
and missile systems can be extended. We should fulfill our
legal obligations under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty
and if you'll remember, by virtue of that treaty we are under
obligation to seek to do everything under our power to try
and achieve nuclear disarmament.' In what's being seen as
a 'softener' for Members of Parliament opposing renewal of
Trident, Tony Blair also proposed today to cut the operational
nuclear warheads on Britain's Trident submarines from 200
to 160. It remains to be seen whether Tony Blair will garner
enough votes in Parliament to pass his proposals through in
February. This is Naomi Fowler in London for Free Speech Radio
News.
INDIAN MAOISTS REACT TO LAND EXPROPRIATION
In the East Indian state of Bengal, agitation over a planned
automobile factory turned violent today when a Maoist organization
ransacked a car showroom following a government expropriation
of land from thousands of farmers. Vinod K. Jose reports.
This morning the Military Hospital issued its first bulletin
of the day saying Pinochet remains in critical condition and
that the next 24 hours are critical. The Hospital said the
91 year-old dictator will remain hospitalized for at least
10 days. Outside the Hospital a throng of hard-core Pinochet
supporters are holding a vigil, praying he recovers. The Government
has refused to comment of the possibility of Pinochet's death.
Human rights lawyers and family members of the detained and
disappeared initially questioned Pinochet's heart attack,
arguing the former dictator's attorneys always use his health
as a defense tactic. The heart attack came just days after
a fresh round of indictments. For FSRN this is Jorge Garretón
in Santiago.
Features
[top]
John Bolton Resigns as US Ambassador to the United
Nations
At the end of this month, the Bush-appointed UN Ambassador
John Bolton will clean out his desk at UN headquarters in
New York. The White House is saying that Bolton did not resign,
but submitted a letter to President Bush that he is no longer
interested in pursuing the position. Bolton, who once said
there was no such thing as the United Nations, has served
in the post since August of 2005 as a recess appointment,
which expires at the end of this month. Bolton’s nomination
had not been confirmed by the US Congress, where many Democratic
Senators, and some Republicans, expressed concern that Bolton
was a “bully.” China’s UN Ambassador Wang
Guang-ya referred to Bolton’s aggressive style in a
report from the UN Radio News Service.
(sound) Guang-ya: I think he’s serious about the American
objective. He pushed hard. But of course in order to achieve
the objective you have to work with others.
White House Press Secretary Tony Snow said today he does
not know when President Bush will nominate a new ambassador,
but the vote could happen in January when Democrats take over
control of Congress.
(sound) SNOW: The president will continue to look for people
of quality. But I’ll tell you what: John had an extraordinarily
successful tenure, and this will disturb our diplomacy at
the UN to a certain extent, until we find somebody in his
stead, we hope the democrats and republicans, will join together
to allow the President to put forward somebody who will represent
American interests.
Until a replacement is confirmed, Alejandro Wolff, the deputy
U.S. representative to the United Nations, is expected to
be acting U.S. ambassador to the U.N.
[top]
US Supreme Court Will Define Future of School Racial
Integration Laws (3:30)
The Supreme Court hears two major cases dealing with school
integration in elementary and secondary education. One case
deals with the Seattle school system, the other, Louisville
Kentucky. In both cases, white students were denied their
school of choice because of mandatory integration policies.
As FSRN's Leigh Ann Caldwell reports, hundreds of students
rallied outside the court chanting in favor of school integration
policies.
[top]
Concerns Rise about Bush’s Pick for Defense
Secretary (3:30)
Confirmation hearings on Robert Gates, President Bush's
nomination for Defense Secretary, begin tomorrow in the Senate
Armed Services Committee. Today Advocacy and humanitarian
organizations delivered a strong letter of opposition to Gates
citing his history in regard to Central America and the Middle
East. Nan McCurdy has more from Capitol Hill.
[top]
Venezuelan Election Results Good for Chavez
(3:40)
Oil-rich Venezuela has re-elected Bush opponent, President
Hugo Chavez to another 6-year term. With 80% of the votes
counted, the Venezuelan National Electoral Council announced
Chavez' victory last night after a relatively calm, but impressive
turn out at the polls. Mike Fox has more from Caracas.
[top]
Haitian Senate Hopeful Faces Charges (4:30)
In Haiti, a prominent member of the tiny elite is on the
verge of clinching a seat in the senate. Rudolph Boulos has
gone from hobnobbing with US policymakers in Washington, DC,
to slapping peasants on the back in dusty villages of northeastern
Haiti. But he faces charges of involuntary homicide and his
opponents accuse him of lying about his citizenship. Reed
Lindsay as more from Ouanaminthe, Haiti.
[top]
Resistance to Gentrification in South Africa
(3:20)
The streets of South Africa's cities are crowded with life
– flower vendors and car guards, sex workers and traditional
healers, street barbershops and cellphone repairs. But city
governments see this life as a problem, an obstacle to creating
“World Class Cities” with smooth traffic flows
and no signs of any social problems. Along with street children
and beggars, street traders are often the first targets of
municipal efforts to “clean up” and “make
safe,” to privatize and enclose public space. These
processes are accelerated when a city prepares to host a major
international event. In 2010, South Africa will host the soccer
World Cup. Terna Gyuse reports on the growing resistance
of street traders to efforts to clear them from the streets.
[top]
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