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News :: Miscellaneous |
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IMC Newshour Headlines 1-14-2002 |
Current rating: 0 |
by IMC News Staff
Email: imc-newsroom (nospam) lists.groogroo.com (unverified!)
Address: 218 W. Main St., Urbana, IL 61801 |
14 Jan 2002
Modified: 20 Jan 2002 |
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Headlines broadcast during the Indymedia Newshour, Monday at 5:30 p.m. on WEFT 90.1 FM. Afghanistan Envoy Former Unocal Representative, Bush Makes Ethnic Slur, N. Carolina Death Sentence Commuted, Yucca Mountain Approved--Nuclear Waste to Come Through C-U, Auto Parts Manufacturer Contaminates N. Champaign, Budget Cuts for UI Academics, But Increases for Sports, Champaign School Board Clamps Down on Speech |
Afghanistan Envoy Former Unocal Representative
Last a French publication revealed that the new Washington envoy to Afghanistan had oil ties with the Taliban. Zalmay Khalilzad, America's new special envoy to the region represented an oil company, Unocal in discussions with the Taliban about constructing a pipeline. In order to become a major player in the international oil markets, Kazakhstan, a country north of Afghanistan, must move its oil either through Russia to the north or through Afghanistan to the south. Unocal was involved in discussions to create a pipeline that would have enriched the Taliban enormously. According to journalist and cartoonist Ted Rall, Khalilzad worked for the Reagan Administration arming the mujahadeen warriors against the invading Soviets. Khalilzad and the Clinton administration appeared to share a familiar US foreign policy goal, support an authoritarian government capable of protecting American business interests. Once arriving in the capital of Kabul, Khalilzad was quoted as saying "This is a moment of opportunity for Afghanistan," a comment gains meaning when reading reports in the Pakistani press that talks about reviving the pipeline are already underway. -Dan Chambers
Bush Makes Ethnic Slur
President George Bush unwittingly used an offensive ethnic slur that slanders Pakistanis according to the Toronto Globe and Mail. According to Aziz Khaki, vice-chair of the Muslim-Canadian Federation, using the term "Pakis", which Bush said, is an offensive word used against people of color. Bush was describing the tense situation between nuclear rivals Pakistan and India. The word , which is of British origin, tends to have a greater impact on people of Pakistani descent worldwide than on those within the country. -Dan Chambers
N. Carolina Death Sentence Commuted
After two appeals were denied by the state supreme court the governor of North Carolina may have just saved an innocent man's life. North Carolina gov. Mike Easley commuted the sentence of death row inmate Charlie Alston just hours before he was set to die by lethal injection. Alston was sentinced to die for the 1990 murder of his ex-girlfriend Pamela Renee Perry. Alston was convicted on circumstantial evedence and no evidence, either physical or eye-witness ever placed him at the crime sciene. Evidence that could have proved his giult or innocence by DNA annialisis was lost. -Avram Golden-Trist
most of the info was gotten from www.prodeathpenalty.com under January 2002 executions
Yucca Mountain Approved--Nuclear Waste to Come Through C-U
In a 30-day advance notice given to the governor of Nevada, Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham stated the Department's intention on recommending Yucca Mountain as the site for burying thousands of tons of highly radioactive waste. The site, only 90 miles from Las Vegas, would bring trains of nuclear waste into Champaign. Some say trains carrying nuclear waste would pose an immediate threat to the lives of everyone living in Champaign County. The decision, which has already spawned three lawsuits against the site as a repository, raises questions on the safety of transporting toxic nuclear waste from 35 states across the country to a site which has been seen well over 600 earthquakes of 2.5 or greater on the Richter Scale within a 50 mile radius. Laura Huth, an Urbana City Council official, calls the decision quote-"an atrocity for Urbana-Champaign that necessitates immediate action towards Congress", unquote. If approved by President Bush, the decision would then go to the U.S. Congress, where Assistant Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada has vowed to attempt to block it in the Senate. A simple majority in either house could block the project. -Orion Weill
Auto Parts Manufacturer Contaminates N. Champaign
A group of residents living near the Alloy Casting and Engineering plant in Champaign have filed suit against the company for emitting a hot metallic dust into the air. A hearing was held on December 21st to determine whether a motion filed by Alloy to dismiss the Personal Injury claim would be able to go to trial. For now, the Residents will get a chance to argue their claim at trial, but the battle has not ended yet. Alloy has a few other options in order to block the residents claim. Check the Independent Media Website at urbana.indymedia.org for further updates. -Lindsay Robinson
Budget Cuts for UI Academics, But Increases for Sports
While the front page of the News Gazette announced that the university will cut $14.8 million out of the budget this year, the sports page is telling a very different story. When announcing budget cuts, U of I Provost Richard Herman said that things are "going to have to get slowed down". The university has its priorities, the library will not have to cut any spending, but increasing spending in the athletic department is all that is talked about in the sports page. The Gazette says that football coach Ron Turner's salary will be bumped up from about $700,000 to over one million dollars making him the first "Million Dollar Man" at Illinois and more than doubling his salary science he started in 1997. The sports page also talks of a new video scoreboard for Memorial stadium that will be put up before the 2002 football season. The sports page talks of things still being planed like more seating in the football stadium, "lavish executive boxes at Memorial stadium", more tennis courts at Atkins Tennis Center, an Illini hall of fame, and possibly even a new $75 million basketball stadium. -Avram Golden-Trist
Champaign School Board Clamps Down on Speech
The Champaign School board meeting tonight at 7 p.m. At the Mellon Administration building will discuss several different policy changes including a change in how or whether people can give public input at the meetings. The changes are reportedly designed to shorten the length of board meetings. The proposal will reduce the length of time someone may speak to the school board from five minutes to three minutes, and speakers will be required to give advance notice of what they plan to say. The school board president will then decide whether that person's comments are appropriate and he will decide who may speak. Some charge that the proposals are intended to limit the public voice at school board meetings, some thing that superintendent's office has denied. At the meeting tonight there will be copies of the proposed changes and all meeting are open to the public. -Avram Golden-Trist
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Perhaps a wrong word |
by Brian
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
20 Jan 2002
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To Whom it May Concern:
In the sentence from the article "Budget Cuts for UI Academics, But Increases for Sports", on page: http://urbana.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3744&group=webcast
The Gazette says that football coach Ron Turner's salary will be bumped up from about $700,000 to over one million dollars making him the first "Million Dollar Man" at Illinois and more than doubling his salary science he started in 1997.
I think that instead of the word "science" the author means since. I hate to be picky, just thought you might want the heads up.
Brian |
