August 29, 2005
Headlines (5:22)
Tony Blair faces increased criticism today after a high level letter leaked to the media revealed that part of his own government warned him more than a year ago that the invasion in Iraq was fueling Muslim extremism in Britain. From London, Naomi Fowler reports.
An immigration hearing for alleged terrorist and former CIA agent, Luis Posada Carriles, began today in El Paso. Although the US has not prosecuted Carriles for his involvement in the mid-air bombing of a Cuban commercial plane in 1976 that killed 73 people and hotel bombings in Havana, the immigration hearing will decide his migratory status. Meanwhile protestors want Carriles extradited to his country of origin, Venezuela. Dolores M. Bernal has more from El Paso, Texas.
Nation wide outrage in Nigeria over another rise in the price of fuel could result in civil resistance. This time fuel costs increased 30 percent. Sam Olukoya reports from Lagos.
Protestors in Ecuador are threatening to restart their oil strikes. They said the government has 48 hours to follow through on a deal that was reached late last week between the two groups and the foreign oil companies. The protestors are skeptical of the governments promise to implement the agreement. In that agreement, the protestors said they would end their strikes if the oil companies shared profits with the communities who live on the land in which they operate.
Secretarial talks opened today between India and Pakistan, the nuclear-armed rivals are seeking to curb violence and drug trafficking. Vinod K. Jose reports from New Dehli.
Features
Hurricane Katrina Devastation Poses Toxic Threat for New Orleans (2:02)
Hurricane Katrina made landfall in New Orleans and turned eastward early this morning as a Category 4 storm. Massive flooding is expected to be along term reality for the city’s residents. Emergency response teams are preparing for damage to nearby oil and chemical refineries that could cause the area – that is shaped like a bowl – to become filled with a toxic soup. KPFT’s Renee Feltz reports
The Case of Ahmed Abu Ali (2:00)
The trial 23-year old Ahmed Abu Ali, an US-born citizen, charged with plotting to assassinate President Bush and supporting Al-Qaeda began in Virginia today. The case has also become a trial of the US government’s alleged practice of detaining people accused of terrorism in countries where coercive interrogation techniques are legal. Ingrid Drake has more from Washington, DC.
Critics Fear New Iraqi Constitution Will Lead to Increased Violence (1:59)
Iraqi leaders presented a disputed draft constitution this Sunday that will be put to a referendum to the Iraqi people in October. The draft was pushed through by Shia and Kurd negotiators over the objections of the Sunnis. Thousands of Shias took to the streets in Baghdad in support of the Constitution, while some 2,000 Sunnis did the same but in opposition in Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit. While President Bush praised the process, critics worry that Sunni objections will lead to more violence in the already war-torn country. Mitch Jeserich has more from Washington.
Manmohan Singh Visits Afghanistan (3:18)
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Afghanistan is seen by many as a cementing step towards denying Pakistan the firm grip it had over the country during the Taliban regime. But, as FSRN’s Binu Alex reports, New Delhi says there is much more to it.
Closing Arguments in Gwen Araujo Case (4:03)
Transgendered high school student Gwen Araujo was brutally murdered in October of 2002. This week, lawyers are expected to wrap up closing arguments in the second trial of three men charged with first degree murder in the case. The proximity of the murder to the progressive San Francisco bay area, and the stark brutality of the murder itself have put the case on the national radar. But as correspondent Sarah Olson reports from Oakland, Araujo’s family and community believe that both justice and gender are at the heart of this case.
Chicano Moratorium 35-Year Anniversary (3:48)
Today, August 29, marks the 35th Anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium, when tens of thousands marched in Los Angeles to stop Chicanos from being sent to fight on the front lines of the Vietnam War.
(audio)
LA County Sheriffs surrounded the crowd at Laguna Park, making it impossible for people to leave the premises, and violently attacked the crowd with batons and tear gas, resulting in the death of 3 people, including LA Times journalist Ruben Salazar.
This past Saturday, more than a hundred marched down the same route and gathered at Salazar Park in East LA to oppose the US War and Occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan. Meanwhile, with the number of new military recruits dropping, the Pentagon is looking to boost recruitment among Latinos and other students at community colleges. Ngoc Nguyen has the story.
Historic Memorial of Minority World War 2 Vets (2:00)
After serving in World War 2, thousands of people of color who survived the violence returned home to another battleground. They had to continue fighting, this time against the racism of their fellow US citizens. Now, 60 years after their military service, some of these people are finally being honored. From Syracuse, FSRN’s Catherine Komp reports.
