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The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC
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Several big stories out there today we're keeping an eye on folks...U.S. troops
massing on the Afghan-Pakistani border, the U.S. and Saudis have a new diplomatic
"division of labor" deal on the Middle East, and the UN Jenin investigation team looks
like it's about to get deep sixed by Koffi...Details below...
Plus...Those 6 prisoners in Yasser's compound are on the move at this hour...Andrea's
all over it..."A diplomatic convoy arrived Wednesday at Yasser Arafat's compound in
apparent preparation for transferring six wanted men to a West Bank prison, paving the
way for the Palestinian leader's release from Israeli confinement, a Palestinian
official said." (AP)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&ncid=716&e=1&u=/ap/20020501/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_palestinians_3766
Lots of hoopla going on with the video on that...We'll show you...Looks like a Pink
Floyd laser light show from what I can tell...
And an extra special treat tonight..."The Rev" (Sharpton, that is) will be on set to
discuss his bid for the White House and why we should stay out of Iraq...
Rahman will be here to do the Jenin thing..."Palestinian officials put the death toll
at 56 in the two-week Israeli assault on Jenin, dropping claims of a massacre of 500
that had sparked demands for a U.N. investigation. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan
suggested that he may now disband a U.N. fact-finding team that was to visit the camp"
(The Washington Times) http://washingtontimes.com/world/20020501-5587072.htm
Wash Post: "U.N. May Scuttle Probe of Jenin Camp...Israel Renews Objections, Refuses
to Cooperate; Tanks Leave Hebron"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11589-2002Apr30.html?referer=email
"New Strategy Set by U.S. and Saudis for Mideast Crisis...In a new "division of labor"
aimed at ending the cycle of violence, Americans will focus on the Israeli prime
minister while Arabs will press the Palestinian leader. (New York Times)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=68&ncid=68&e=3&u=/nyt/20020501/ts_nyt/new_strategy_set_by_u_s__and_saudis_for_mideast_crisis
"Saudi Arabia has hired a slew of D.C.'s most powerful lobbying and p.r. firms -
including turning to an ad-buying company that's helped top Republicans - to buff its
post-9/11 image, The [New York] Post has learned."
http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/46866.htm
Ari on the Saudi gig: "...This is something the president has embarked on for a
considerable period of time. ...It is fair to say active cooperation, constructive
engagement by the Arab world is helpful"
We'll do the military thing in the B block with McCaffrey and some other military
types...."U.S. Sending More Troops to Afghan Border...Major Battle May Be Brewing"
(The Washington Post) http://msnbc.com/news/745911.asp
Map of the area http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/020501/161/1h819.html
"Green Beret Vanguard Arrives in the Former Soviet Georgia...About 20 U.S. soldiers
flew to the former Soviet republic of Georgia on Monday, the first of the Special
Forces G.I.'s who will train and equip the nation's personnel." (New York Times)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=79&ncid=79&e=3&u=/nyt/20020430/wl_nyt/green_beret_vanguard_arrives_in_the_former_soviet_georgia
The D block will be the cloning debate with a couple of Senators on opposite ends of
the debate..
"Normally steadfast in his support of President Bush, Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch
joined Democrats Edward Kennedy and Dianne Feinstein Tuesday in support of allowing
human embryos to be cloned for medical research." (AP)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020501/ap_on_go_co/cloning_congress_10
And just because it's Wednesday..."Dinner in 30 Minutes...Just when you thought you
had nothing for dinner, along comes Seared Chicken With Orange-Salsa Butter - a dish
that relies on basic ingredients, simple techniques and a touch of ingenuity."
(Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8183-2002Apr30.html
The rest of the show is still up in the air...I'm not going to name names but we got
lots of calls out there...Expect another winner...
Dominic Bellone compiled and edited this Briefing in Washington, DC
"Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said Tuesday he feared the international war on
terrorism could lose credibility among Arabs and Muslims because promises to deliver a
just Middle East peace were not being fulfilled." (Reuters)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20020430/wl_nm/mideast_egypt_dc_1
"Mubarak�s delicate balancing act...As Arab anger at Israel and U.S. mounts, Egypt
walks tightrope" (NBC News) http://msnbc.com/news/744796.asp?0dm=N1CVN
Interesting story of the day..."President Bush had to change helicopters Tuesday night
for a trip from suburban Andrews Air Force Base to the White House after the pilot
shut down the rotors of his original chopper, apparently because of a mechanical
problem." (AP)
http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/bw-wh/2002/apr/30/043001982.html
"Al Qaeda's new frontier: Indonesia...Video shows Muslim cleric calling for jihad
against Christians." (Christian Science Monitor)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0501/p01s04-woap.html
"Iraq will begin negotiations in New York on Wednesday on the possible return of U.N.
weapons inspectors, a step that may offer the country its best chance of avoiding, or
at least delaying, a military showdown with the United States." (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11484-2002Apr30.html?referer=email
"...Diplomats expect Iraq to be flexible on the U.N. arms experts but not give an
unconditional "yes" or "no" reply on their return before the talks end on Friday."
(Reuters)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20020501/wl_nm/iraq_un_talks_dc_27
"No Link Between Hijacker, Iraq Found, U.S. Says" (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/nation/specials/attacked/A11966-2002Apr30.html
"American and Czech officials had believed the meetings between Atta, the alleged
ringleader of the 19 hijackers, and Ahmad Khalil Ibrahim Samir Al-Ani, an Iraqi
diplomat widely believed to be an intelligence agent, took place in Prague in April
2001." (AP)
http://nandotimes.com/special_reports/terrorism/investigation/story/387611p-3083189c.html
"The leader of a Chicago-area Islamic charity gave money and support to Osama bin
Laden and other top terrorists for years, including one reputed al-Qaida lieutenant
who tried to get nuclear weapons for the group, the FBI alleged Tuesday." (Chicago
Tribune)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/showcase/sns-worldtrade.story?coll=chi%2Dnews%2Dhed
"Enaam M. Arnaout--so close to Osama bin Laden that he took care of one of his
wives--has operated a suburban Muslim charity that funneled money to overseas freedom
fighters in the 1990s and once named a suspected terrorist as a director of the
foundation, federal prosecutors said Tuesday." (Chicago Sun Times)
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-benev01.html
Islamic charity charged with perjury...An Islamic charity and its executive director
were charged with perjury Tuesday for denying in a lawsuit against the federal
government that they have supported groups engaged in terrorism.
http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/745699.asp
U.S., U.K. press for Arafat's release...Amid continued Mideast bloodshed on Wednesday,
British and U.S. security experts met with Palestinians on Wednesday to work out the
details of a prisoner transfer that will pave the way for Yasser Arafat's release from
Israeli confinement.
http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/677951.asp
"The Bush administration is preventing the public from gaining an overview of U.S.
anti-terrorism strategy by barring Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge from
testifying to Congress, the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee said
Tuesday." (AP)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=536&ncid=703&e=6&u=/ap/20020430/ap_on_go_co/attacks_congress_spending_7
"N. Korea And U.S. To Meet...Pyongyang Seeks Renewal of Talks" (Wash Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11656-2002Apr30.html?referer=email
"The Permanent Mission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to the
United Nations has informed the State Department that the DPRK is prepared to begin
talks with the United States," spokesman Ari Fleischer said in a statement" (The
Washington Times) http://www.washtimes.com/national/20020501-555411.htm
"President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney are holding get-acquainted sessions
with the man expected to be China's next president. Candid discussions are likely on
human rights, Taiwan and other troublesome issues." (AP)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=536&ncid=703&e=3&u=/ap/20020501/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_china_23
"Judge Rejects Key Tactic Used in Sept. 11 Probe...A federal judge's ruling Tuesday
delivered a potential blow to the Justice Department's methods of detaining suspects
and gathering evidence." (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11562-2002Apr30.html
"Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei launched a tirade against the United
States Wednesday, accusing Washington of bullying." (Reuters)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=586&ncid=586&e=6&u=/nm/20020501/wl_nm/iran_usa_dc_2
"Palestinians have a 'just cause' in their conflict with Israel, former presidential
candidate Pat Buchanan said yesterday in a debate on U.S. policy in the Middle East."
(The Washington Times) http://www.washtimes.com/national/20020501-91611235.htm
"Former U.S. Housing Secretary Andrew Cuomo has lost ground against Republican Gov.
George Pataki since Cuomo's criticism of Pataki's post-September 11 leadership,
according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today."
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polls/ny/Ny0502a.html
"Top officials from five big oil companies acknowledged to U.S. senators Tuesday that
their companies have considered ways to manipulate supplies of gasoline to boost
refinery profits, but the oilmen said they acted on none of the schemes." (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washdc/2002/05/01/oil-prices.htm
"Hatch backs limited cloning research...Pro-life Sen. Orrin G. Hatch announced his
support for legislation that would allow cloning research but outlaw efforts to create
the first cloned infant." (The Washington Times)
http://www.washtimes.com/national/20020501-586723.htm
Nachman's back in the House..."MSNBC, the joint news venture between General Electric
Co.'s NBC and software giant Microsoft Corp., said Tuesday it has named Jerry Nachman
to the newly created position of editor-in-chief in the wake of a series of changes at
the news cable channel." (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=entertainmentnews&StoryID=901770
"Three prominent Jewish leaders are calling for a boycott of the New York Times over
what they feel is biased coverage against Israel in the current Middle East crisis."
(NY Post) http://www.nypost.com/business/46889.htm
"Historian Stephen Ambrose has been diagnosed with lung cancer...Ambrose, 65, a
longtime smoker, learned of his illness Friday and said he will discuss treatment
options with doctors soon" (AP)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020501/ap_on_re_us/ambrose_cancer_1
Opinion/editorial
Village Voice: "How the Pentagon Learned to Love the Weapon No One Wanted...The
Carlyle Connection" http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0218/gray.php
Stars, stripes and speech...The tragic events of Sept. 11 have led to a boost in
patriotism and a renewed effort to get Congress to amend the Constitution to ban
flag-burning. But such a move would be silly, because it is not the U.S. flag that
guarantees our freedoms
http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/624642.asp
The Washington Times: "China's Hu is here...The meetings this week between Chinese
Vice President Hu Jintao and President Bush will set the tone for our relationship
with China in the next few years. That tone must be based on mutual respect."
http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20020501-95436878.htm
Jeffers: "U.S. obsession with Iraq complicates Mideast peace"
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/134446009_carl01.htmld
Blankley: "Darkness is better for illusions...But daylight is better for shooting"
http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20020501-81109227.htm
Witcover: No blank check to invade Iraq
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0502/witcover.html
The Nashville Tennessean: "A lack of energy...With an 88-11 vote last week, the
Democratically controlled Senate passed a better energy bill than the House but still
not good enough to save much energy."
http://www.tennessean.com/opinion/archives/02/05/16820198.shtml?Element_ID=16820198
The Houston Chronicle: "A fair, full review of Jenin battle is in order...The
accusations of an Israeli army "massacre" of Palestinian civilians in the West Bank
town of Jenin seem to be crumbling under their own weight."
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/editorial/1391218
The Wall Street Journal: "John Fund's Political Diary...Teachers unions try to use
Sept. 11 as an excuse for bad schools."
http://www.opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=105002008
Dale: "Le Pen or le sword?...Xenophobia unsheathed in Europe"
http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20020501-12105425.htm
"The Wall Street Journal: Why won't Norm Mineta let pilots carry guns?"
http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=105002007
Doonesbury http://www.ucomics.com/doonesbury/viewdb.cfm?uc_full_date=20020501
Mallard Fillmore http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/fun/mallard.asp
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