October 30, 2006
Headlines (5:30)
PAKISTAN MADRASSA BOMBING
Pakistani helicopter gunships today destroyed an Islamic school purportedly used as an Al Qaeda-linked training camp near the Afghan border, killing nearly 80 people. Masror Hausen reportsd from Islamabad.
THOUSANDS OF WEAPONS MISSING IN IRAQ
The United States Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction now admits that thousands of sophisticated weapons earmarked for Iraqi security forces are missing from the U.S. Department of Defense and government officials say it is unlikely that they will be recovered. The Pentagon cannot account for 14,030 weapons that include assault rifles, machine guns, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and semiautomatic pistols. Jerry Burke spent two years in Iraq as a National Security Advisor to the Ministry of Interior. He explains how the weapons could have gone missing. (sound) In the very beginning when we were training police at least, we would issue pistols to the graduates, some order of say 10 or 20 percent of them never reported to work and never returned their weapons. Others would report to work and have their weapons taken by a senior officer who might then sell it on the open market. Other cases were when stations were attacked or overrun that weapons inside the stations were taken including AK47’s and possibly some heavier equivalent to 50 caliber machine guns.” It will be virtually impossible to track down the missing arms since the Defense Department registered the serial numbers of only 3% of the weapons earmarked for Iraq.
LULA LANDSLIDE VICTORY
Fresh from a landslide re-election victory, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was set to begin talks today forge a legislative agenda and a broad-based coalition in the Brazilian Congress. Rosa Caldas reports on the election results from Sao Paulo.
Despite all the government scandals lately, Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva was reelected with almost 61 percent of the popular vote. His opponent — Geraldo Alckmin, garnered just 39 percent. Lula justified his victory arguing, “This is the victory of the Brazilian people and has satisfied me as a politician”. According to research, Lula had the massive support of the poor and less developed people. He will lead Brazil until 2010. Rosa Caldas in São Paulo, Brazil, for Free Speech Radio News.
TWO GLOBAL WARMING REPORTS RELEASED
Yvo de Boer, the head of the U.N. climate treaty secretariat, says that the industrialized world’s emissions of greenhouse gases are growing again, despite efforts under the Kyoto Protocol to cap them and stave off global warming. Haider Risvi reports from the UN.
UN reaserchers say during this period the Eastern and Central European nations were mostly responsible for more than 4 per cent increase. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change requires 35 industrialized countries to reduce greenhouse emissions by an average of 5 per cent below 1990 levels by 2012. The report urges industrialized countries to invest in sustainable development projects in developing countries beside introducing further cuts at home. The United States, the world’s biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, is not a party to the UN Convention on Climate Change.
And in Britain today, a senior British economist released a report saying that if countries do nothing about climate change, it will devastate the world economy on the scale of the world wars and the Great Depression. Study author Sir Nick Stern says it will take fundamental changes to the world’s economy to counter the threat from global warming. (sound) “Managing a transition to low carbon economy cuts across most areas of activity and multilaterism is crucial to success – it cannot be left only to energy and environmental ministers – important though they are. This is about managing an international economic transition.” Stern says acting now to cut greenhouse gas emissions would cost about one percent of global Gross Domestic Product each year.
REPUBLICAN HUNTER ANNOUNCES PRESIDENTIAL BID
Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter of California announced today that he’s entering the upcoming presidential contest. (sound) “As I finish my final two years as Chairman of the Armed Services Committee and serve you, I am also going to be preparing to run for President of the United States in 2008.” Hunter would lose his Armed Services Committee Chairmanship if Democrats take control of the House after the Nov. 7 election.
BERLUSCONI CHARGED WITH CORRUPTION
Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and British lawyer David Mills have been ordered to stand trial on corruption charges. Milan magistrates had accused Berlusconi of paying Mills — the estranged husband of British Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell — a kickback of $600,000 for not revealing details of Berlusconi’s media empire when he testified in two court cases. Both men have denied wrongdoing.
Features
Department of Homeland Security Declares Victory on Border Security (4:07)
Department of Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff told reporters in Washington today increased border security operations have met with success. But immigrant rights advocates say Chertoff’s policies have been devastating to immigrant communities. FSRN’s Leigh Ann Caldwell reports.
Federal Police Break Through Barricades in Oaxaca (4:53)
Mexican federal police have moved into Oaxaca City to take the city from residents who have been governing themselves for the past 5 months. Although the move has been painted by federal authorities as an effort to restore order the tens of thousands of local residents who came of yesterday to impede the advance of the police line would not agree. After police broke through barricades with bulldozers, water cannons, and armored personnel carriers – helicopters constantly circled overhead for hours afterwards and the houses in some neighborhoods were subjected to warantless search raids. Shannon Young reports on this weekend’s events.
Protesters in New York City Support Oaxacan Teacher’s Struggle (2:00)
A couple hundred protesters demonstrated their support for the Oaxacan teacher’s union and social struggle unfolding in Oaxaca City. Kat Aaron reports from New York.
Gallaudet Students Celebrate Victory (1:47)
The renowned liberal arts university for the deaf in Washington D.C., Gallaudet, was virtually brought to a standstill during four weeks of protest to oust Jane Fernandez, president designate. But today students are celebrating a victory. On Sunday, Galludet’s Board outsted Fernandez. Nan McCurdy has more from Washington DC.
Philippine Government to Arm Anti-Communist Paramilitary Groups (3:40)
The Philippine government is preparing to arm paramilitary forces. The government says those forces would fight against the communist insurgency, terrorism and crime in the country. The plan comes amid a spate of extra-judicial killings that have been blamed on government security forces, raising concerns of more violence. Girlie Linao Manila reports from Manila.
FCC Hearing on Media Consolidation Held in Oakland (4:00)
The Federal Communications Commission is reviewing its controversial rules on media ownership. Over the next several months the FCC is inviting public comment on the rules governing how many television and radio stations one company can own in one market; the commission’s limitations on owning a full-service broadcast station and a newspaper in the same market; and its regulations on radio and television station cross-ownership. On Friday Evening there was a hearing in Oakland California where the FCC’s two democratic Commissioners heard the public’s concerns. Eric Klein reports.
