Home > Programs
> FSRN
> Tue. Apr. 27, 2004
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
Thanks to FSRN.org
for making the daily programs available to Pacifica.org
Today's lead stories:
US War Machine Enters Najaf – Dozens of Civilians Injured
Negroponte Testifies in Iraqi Ambassador Nomination Hearing
Supreme Court on Cheney Energy Task Force
Sanctions Lifted for Turkish Cypriots?
Nicaraguan Banana Workers begin Legal Battle
FSRN Headlines
U.S. aerial gunships are spraying the city of Fallujah at
deadline. Resistors are fighting back with rocket-launched
grenades. Earlier today, U.S. military forces raided a number
of mosques in the city saying that armed resistors to the
occupation were using the buildings as cover. Pentagon officials
said this afternoon that the cease fire in Fallujah was still
in effect. We'll have more on Iraq later.
Hundreds of Haitians are taking their chances by boat and
fleeing to Jamaica. The Jamaican government is set to ask
U.S. officials for assistance. Patrick Scudder reports from
Ocho Rios.
Today Nelson Mandela was sworn in for a second term as President
on this 10th anniversary of democracy in South Africa. Na’eem
Jeenah reports freely from Johannesburg.
Reuters, the Associated Press and other Arab television news
sources are reporting explosions and gunfire in Syria’s
capitol of Damascus, evening local time. The British Foreign
Office in London says the explosions were heard in the diplomatic
district near the Canadian and Saudi embassies, and the British
ambassador’s home; but the explosions were closer to
the Iranian ambassador’s residence. Reportedly, security
forces have blocked off that section of Damascus. No word
yet on casualties or injuries.
Teaching Assistants at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
are striking today and tomorrow, after working for 10-months
without an agreement. Steve Zelaznik files from the picket
line.
This week California election officials will decide if they
are going to use electronic touch screen voting machines that
caused problems in the March primaries. Christopher Martinez
reports from Sacramento.
[top]
US War Machine Enters Najaf – Dozens of Civilians
Injured
American troops backed by helicopter gunships have entered
the holy Shiite city of Najaf, clashing with the Mehdi Army
of anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. The US military says
64 Iraqi fighters were killed, though hospital officials in
Najaf told the Arab satellite network al-Jazeera that most
of the 28 injured received from the clashes appear to be civilians.
From Baghdad, Aaron Glantz has more.
[top]
Negroponte Testifies in Iraqi Ambassador Nomination
Hearing
Today Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero
announced that Spain has completed the withdrawal of its 1,300
troops out of Iraq. Zapatero told lawmakers in the Spanish
parliament that they should have not gone to Iraq. Meanwhile
on Capitol Hill, President Bush's nominee to become Ambassador
to Iraq on July 1st , John Negroponte, who is the current
Ambassador to the UN, testified in front of a Senate Committee.
In the early eighties, Negroponte served as Ambassador to
Honduras and during that time Honduras's military has been
accused, along with the CIA, of hundreds of human rights abuses.
Negroponte told the Senate Committee that starting on July
1st, the Iraqi interim government will be given political
authority, but it wont have control of armed forces nor will
it be allowed to pass laws. Mitch Jeserich has more.
[top]
Supreme Court on Cheney Energy Task Force
The U.S Supreme Court heard oral arguments today about whether
Vice President Dick Cheney and his energy task force have
the right to executive privilege or if Cheney must release
documents disclosing how he created the nation's policy. WPFW's
Selina Musuta reports from the Supreme Court.
[top]
Sanctions Lifted for Turkish Cypriots?
On Saturday Greek Cypriots voted overwhelmingly against
a reunification plan proposed by the United Nations, the European
Union and the US despite much international pressure. And
as Ezgi Saritas reports, Turkish Cypriots may see international
sanctions lifted after overwhelmingly approving the referendum.
[top]
Nicaraguan Banana Workers begin Legal Battle
Banana workers in Nicaragua affected by a pesticide produced
and distributed by U.S.-based trans-nationals in the 1970’s
may have finally forced the companies to meet them on a legal
battleground. Nan McCurdy has more from Nicaragua.
[top]
|
Listen
to the show 
Help
stream
download
