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> Fri., Apr. 9, 2004
FSRN
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Today's lead stories:
Attacks Mount in Falluga
AIDS Activists Criticize Bush's AIDS Drug Policy
Women Suffer Most from AIDS in South Africa
National Health Week: Moving From Statistics to Solutions
Part 2: Afghanistan’s Drug Trade
FSRN Headlines
Japanese Protest Troops in Iraq
Today, hundreds are protesting in Japan over the refusal of
the Prime Minister to pull troops out of Iraq even after the
kidnapping of three Japanese citizens this week. Miles Ashdown
has the story from Tokyo.
Senators Need More Info on Iraq Contracts
13 U.S. Senators asked Pentagon officials for details on private
contractors working in Iraq. Dave Enders has the story from
D.C.
Dragging Peace Process in Sri Lanka
Tamil Tigers are insisting that the government of Sri Lanka
take a more serious look at their proposal for self-rule.
Today, violence broke out between two factions, further threatening
the dragging peace process. Ponniah Manikavasagam reports
from Vavuniya.
Gulf War POW's Denied Assets
Gulf War I POWs have been denied access to frozen Iraqi assets
because the US Justice Department says President took Iraq
off the list of state sponsors of terrorism. Celie Jenkins
reports from D.C.
Americans Lack Health Literacy
About half of all adult Americans lack the health literacy
they need to properly care for themselves and their families.
Kellia Ramares has the story.
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Attacks Mount in Falluga
One year ago, US troops toppled central Baghdad’s
statue of Saddam Hussein. It symbolized the end of his regime,
and victory for US military forces. A year later, the US occupation
of Iraq continues. The latest Pentagon figures report 455
U.S. troops killed in Iraq since the start of the war-- 49
in the past week. Sunni and Shiite rebels battle against American
military attacks, resulting in devastation for civilians in
Falluga. US forces called a cease-fire at mid-day to allow
a delegation into the area, and to allow residents to bury
their dead in a local football stadium. However, as FSRN’s
Baghdad correspondent Aaron Glantz reports, helicopter attacks
have again begun in the area.
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AIDS Activists Criticize Bush's AIDS Drug Policy
Along with international health organizations, former President
Bill Clinton this week struck a deal with five pharmaceutical
companies -none of them US based- to offer generically-produced
HIV and AIDS medication to poor countries. Abstaining from
the deal is the U.S. government as the Bush administration
spends the nation’s funds solely on the more expensive
patented drugs. In response, African physicians and AIDS activists
came to Capitol Hill to tell the administration their policy
means millions of people infected with the disease will go
without life saving treatment. Mitch Jeserich reports.
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Women Suffer Most from AIDS in South Africa
The number of children worldwide who have lost one or both
parents to AIDS is expected to reach 25 million by the end
of the decade. Of the estimated 40 million people worldwide
who are living with the HIV virus that causes AIDS, more than
2.5 million are under age. Meanwhile a South African study
shows that nearly one in four South African women between
the age of 20 and 24 is infected with HIV. AIDS in South Africa
is overwhelmingly a heterosexual disease, and women suffer
disproportionately, because men tend to have many sexual partners
and women are often powerless to protect themselves. In Johannesburg,
Melinda Tuhus looks at some of the special challenges women
face in the age of AIDS.
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National Health Week: Moving From Statistics to Solutions
April 5 through 12 is national public health week, with
public health fairs, seminars and more throughout the United
States. Organizers of the event are focusing this year on
eliminating health disparities among subsections of the U.S.
population. As Darby Hickey of the D.C. Radio Coop reports,
community members support the theme of "Moving From Statistics
to Solutions," but are critical of failures to consider
the social context of health.
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Part 2: Afghanistan’s Drug Trade
In the second part of her report on the opium trade, Fariba
Nawa crosses the Iranian border to western Afghanistan in
a town where drug traffickers, addicts and opium farmers lead
a volatile life under the rule of a weak and corrupt local
government. Afghanistan supplies 75 percent of the world¹s
heroin. Fariba Nawa visited the region and brings us this
final report.
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