Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Nuclear negotiations between the Iran and European Union continued in Italy today. And while officials are reporting some progress in the talks, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad continues to hold a hard line in Teheran. Ahmadinejad has discounted the UN Security Council's resolution for sanctions on the country as –quote - ``worthless papers.'' He maintains Iran would not give up its right to produce nuclear fuel.

In the United States today, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told a Congressional panel that there is a 'sense of urgency' with Iran. This comes as Bush and Cheney have escalated rhetoric on Iran in recent days.

FSRN's Leigh Ann Caldwell reports.

Bush Talks Tough about the Cuban Government (1:54)

The Bush Administration is not backing down from its stance on Cuba. In a State Department speech today, President Bush said he would not accept a political transition in the country unless it transfers power to the people. When Fidel Castro fell ill last year, power in Cuba shifted to his brother Raul, who has maintained the political structure of the country.

In his speech today, Bush warned that –quote - "unknown horrors" enacted by the Cuban government would no-doubt come to light. Bush urged Congress to push through a bill that would help fund pro-democracy efforts in Cuba. In addition:

He also said the pro-democracy factions of the Cuban population are hearing the "dying gasps of a failed regime."

In a somewhat ironic twist: As President Bush calls for democracy in Cuba, the country's media is reporting a 95-percent voter turn-out over the weekend. Cubans went to the polls to elect local representatives – over 12-thousand in total – in a process that happens every two and a half years. According to the Cuban Press, the President of the Cuban Electoral Commission said one-third of the candidates nominated were not members of the country's Communist Party.

The Dream Act's Dream Dies in the US Senate (3:48)

Today, the Senate failed to pass a bill that would have given children of undocumented workers the chance to pursue an education in the United States and to get jobs after they graduate.

Karen Miller has more from Washington DC.

Bush Declares Wildfires in Southern California a Major Disaster

President Bush declared today the damage caused by wildfire in southern California a major disaster, allowing residents to apply for grants and loans to cover property loss. More than a dozen wind-driven fires have ravaged areas from Santa Barbara to the Mexican border. Fires have forced anywhere from half a million to 900,000 people to evacuate their homes and have driven property damage estimates up to the $1 billion dollar mark.

As Christopher Martinez reports, the fires are also straining the resources of firefighters – and possibly foreshadowing danger in an era of global climate change.

Government of Southern Sudan Struggles for Peace with Khartoum (4:38)

On this 62 nd anniversary of the formation of the United Nations – or U-N Day – the organization's presence in countries around the world is as widespread as ever. And this is certainly the case in Africa.

The government of Southern Sudan said they hope the intervention of the UN Security Council will pressure the country's president, Omar Bashir into implementing the comprehensive peace agreement they signed with the Khartoum government last January. Crisis talks between the Southern Sudanese government and Khartoum have so far failed to resolve their issues – including that of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM). That group withdrew from government this month in protest. They say they will not return to the table unless their grievances over the lack of implementation of the peace deal are addressed.

The Secretary-General of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, Pagan Amum, has asked the United Nations to review the peace agreement – and to call on all sides to report on their progress in making it a reality.