July 29, 2003
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Betting on Terrorism
Ever wanted to place a bet on whether a foreign leader may be assassinated or overthrown? Well according to the Pentagon, this may have been possible until a few hours ago when they scrapped a proposed plan to begin a futures market aimed at predicting terrorist attacks. The plan, which faced outcry from Democrats was aimed at using speculators to predict what terrorist activities would take place in a number of hot spots throughout the Middle East. Giving speculators the opportunity to benefit anonymously from activities related to their trades. Ian Forest has more.
More on Israel-Palestine
President Bush met with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon today days after he met with Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. Following the meeting Bush urged Israel to “reconsider the consequences of its actions.” Israeli Prime Minister Sharon also issued a statement after the meeting saying Israel will not cease settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territories. Deepa Fernandes speaks with independent journalist and Israeli Peace activists Peretz Kidron in Jerusalem.
CT to Transfer Prisoners to Save $
The Conneticut Department of Corrections announced that it is considering the possibility of sending two thousand prisioners out of state to save money and help balance the cash straped state budget in 1999 five hundred inmates were shipped from Connecticut prisons in a similar effort to balance the books. Daniel Smith reports from New Haven, CT.
DNA Test Frees Death Row Inmate
On Monday, the Philadelphia Federal Defenders Office announced that Nicholas Yarris is the first death row prisoner in Pennsylvania to be cleared based on DNA evidence. Mr. Yarris, who spent 21 years on death row, would be the fifth person released from Pennsylvania’s death row, adding fuel to the debate on the state’s death penalty. Jamie Graham from Radio Volta in Philadelphia has more on the story.
Korean War Anniversary
A senior official with the US State Department is meeting with South Korean defense ministers to discuss the nuclear crisis on the peninsula. The meeting comes ahead of planned talks among the United States, North Korea, China, South Korea, Japan and Russia. Meanwhile, over the weekend, South Koreans marked the 50th anniversary of the peace armistice that ended fighting between the the two Koreas. North Korea hosted its own celebration. The country has viewed the peace armistice as a victory over the US although technically the two are still at war. Hundreds of thousands of North Koreans danced in the street as fireworks lit up the sky. A delegation of American and Korean peace activists traveled to North Korea to attend a war crimes tribunal. They recently returned from from Pyongyang. Ngoc Nguyen has more from Seoul.
