July 08, 2003
Free Speech Radio News Headlines
Bush Administration Knew Key Justification for Invading Iraq is False
President Bush is Calling for Liberia’s President Charles Taylor to Step Down
UN to Stop the Illegal Arms Trade
Nuclear Policy Research Institute is Calling for the
United States to Cease the Use of Depleted Uranium
Recall of California Governor Gray Davis to Be Put on the Ballot
Bush Greeted in Senegal by Protests
After weekend long protests in South Africa against the pending US presidential visit, today President Bush arrived in Senegal to be greeted by large demonstrations. The only French speaking country to be visited by President Bush in his 5 nation African tour against terror and Aids, Senegal as recently gained White House favor for supporting President Bush in his war against Iraq. Top on the President’s covert agenda in Senegal, is the use of the county’s military bases for refueling of its warships, but as Ndiaga Seck reports from Dakar, at a time when France and its former colony are exchanging chartered flights in a deportation process, many are noting that Senegal is shifting more to the American side.
Senate FCC Hearings
The Dixie Chicks, the famously censored pop-country group, made a comeback today becoming the major focus of a Senate commerce committee hearing on the radio market. After a major kick in the tail from the American people last month, some in Congress are setting about the business of trying to prevent a fast-approaching wave of media mergers, like those that have so consolidated the ownership of radio stations. Activists are trying to capitalize on all the attention finally being paid to the issue of media democracy. Josh Chaffin reports from Capitol Hill.
Mexico’s Governing PAN Loses Seats
With the defeat of Mexican President Vicente Fox’s conservative PAN party in congressional and state races last weekend, the Mexican political map has turned more volatile and made life more difficult for the beleaguered president. No single party holds an absolute majority in the new congress, while much of the Mexican electorate is running out of patience with politicians of all stripes. Kent Paterson has more from Mexico.
Bush Plan: Privatizing the Workforce
Critics call the administration’s goal to privatize up to half of the federal work force by 2004, a part of a plan to ‘roll back the 20th century.’ The plan will withdraw the government from a direct role in housing, healthcare, social security and other established social priorities, by steadily paring down the federal government’s financial commitment. Critics charge that like the administration’s tax cuts, privatization will reward special interests – private corporations – while ignoring shared public priorities. Martha Baskin reports from Seattle.
Mosque Attack in Pakistan
On Friday, an attack on a mosque in Quetta, Pakistan, on the border of Afghanistan, killed over 50 people. Pakistani authorities are investigating whether Afghan Taliban were linked to the attack, which they suspect was a sectarian attack by the Sunni Muslim sect on a Shia Muslim mosque. The attack came the day before Pakistan’s president General Pervez Musharraf returned to Pakistan from a 20 day tour of four nations, including the US. While he was greeted with the highest honors by President Bush at Camp David, Musharraf faces growing opposition at home from Islamist parties and democratic reformers. Masror Hussain reports from Islamabad.
