Newscast for Friday, January 25, 2013

US sends ex-CIA analyst to prison in case that brought light to Bush Administration torture

A federal court in Virginia sentenced ex-CIA analyst John Kiriakou to more than two years in prison this morning, for revealing the name of a covert agent. Kiriakou was the first federal agent to speak publicly about the Bush Administration’s torture program. Transparency and human rights advocates have criticized the Obama Administration for prosecuting federal employees like Kiriakou, while at the same time pardoning those responsible for the crimes they expose. FSRN’s Alice Ollstein spoke to Kiriakou and his attorney this week, and files this report.

New federal assault weapons bill aims to close loopholes of expired ban

Vice President Joe Biden traveled to Richmond, Virginia today to hold a roundtable event on the administration’s efforts to reduce gun violence. His visit comes a day after Senator Dianne Feinstein introduced a federal assault weapons ban, starting a contentious debate on the federal legislation. Biden spoke with the public about the ban in an online video chat.

“Police organizations overwhelmingly support it because they get outgunned. They are outgunned on the street by the bad guys and the proliferation of these weapons.”

Feinstein’s bill would ban the sale, transfer, manufacturing and importation of military style semi-automatic rifles and high capacity magazines that carry more than 10 rounds. It lists 157 types of weapons that would be banned. It excludes more than two-thousand models of guns that would still be legal for hunting and sporting. The path to becoming law is fraught with challenges as Republican and some Democratic lawmakers have criticized it. In addition, the powerful NRA lobby has vowed to fight its passage. For more, we’re joined by Benjamin Van Houten, managing attorney at the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. To view the full text of the 2013 bill: http://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/assault-weapons

Youth of color, hit by high unemployment, face challenges in slow economic recovery

Across the country, millions of Americans remain without work. But some groups - including youth and people of color - continue to have much higher unemployment rates. The official unemployment rate for youth aged 20 to 24 is just over 13 percent, about five points higher than the national average. The high joblessness rate among youth is exacerbated by the fact that many do not finish high school on time or are unprepared for college. Unless something is done to address the problem, youth advocates say this growing trend will have far-reaching implications. FSRN’s Leilani Albano reports.

Indian Point ruling could lead to more regulation of nuclear fire safety exemptions

Champions of nuclear transparency are claiming a major victory this month in a challenge to fire safety exemptions granted by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The agency has issued hundreds of exemptions to nuclear plant operators over the years. The ruling could curb the process, by requiring greater transparency before exemptions can be granted. FSRN's Peter Rugh has more.