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> Wed., Mar. 9, 2005
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
In Kosovo, Albanian Leader Indicted for War Crimes
Senate Likely to Pass Bankruptcy Reform Bill
Mass Protests against Ratification of Free Trade Agreement
Continue in Guatemala
Israel to Hand Over Control of West Bank Towns to Palestinian
Authority
Los Angeles Mayor's Race Reminiscent of Last Election
Coalition of Immokalee Workers End Taco Bell Boycott
Utah Governor Signs Controversial Driving Privilege Card Law
FSRN Headlines
41 Bodies Discovered in Iraq
At least three Iraqi civilians died this morning when a suicide
bomber detonated a garbage truck rigged with explosives in
central Baghdad. David Enders reports from Baghdad.
Indigenous Bolivians Continue to Challenge Mesa
Bolivian Indians blocked roads today and vowed a "face-to-face
battle" against President Carlos Mesa, whose quickly
withdrawn resignation offer failed to ease turmoil. Luis Gomes
reports from La Paz that Mesa now faces a new social alliance.
Bill Introduced to Exempt Libraries and Bookstores from Patriot
Act
During the last Congress, there were a number of failed attempts
to exempt libraries and bookstores from USA Patriot Act. Another
try was launched today -- From Washington DC, Victoria Jones.
Oaxacan Prisoners Released
A mass prisoner release in Oaxaca comes on the heels of a
decision of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
Vladimir Flores reports from Oaxaca City.
[top]
In Kosovo, Albanian Leader Indicted for War Crimes
Kosovo's ethnic Albanian Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj,
was indicted for war crimes yesterday by the International
Court for the Former Yugoslavia or ICTY. A former senior commander
of the separatist guerrilla force, the Kosovo Liberation Army,
Haradinaj is among the most senior leaders from the Balkan
conflicts of the 1990's to be sent to The Hague. Jackson Allers
reports from Kosovo's capital, Pristina.
[top]
Senate Likely to Pass Bankruptcy Reform Bill
Credit card companies and banks have won a victory in the
US Senate, as the final obstacle to a bankruptcy reform bill
has been hurled. Supporters of the measure have successfully
fought off every pro-consumer amendment to a bill that will
prevent many people from wiping out their debt by filing for
bankruptcy. A potential filibuster has also been broken, and
the Senate is likely to pass the measure tonight or tomorrow
morning. Mitch Jeserich has more from Capitol Hill.
[top]
Mass Protests against Ratification of Free Trade
Agreement Continue in Guatemala
This week throughout Central America, ratification of the
Dominican Republic and Central American Free Trade Agreement
- DR-CAFTA has been on the agendas of the National Assemblies.
The DR-CAFTA, based on the 1994 North American Free Trade
Agreement between Mexico, Canada and the United States, is
seen as a stepping-stone to the larger and more important
economic prize, the Free Trade Area of the Americas. The US
congress fast-tracked the trade agreement in 2003 with hopes
of implementing it this year. Throughout Central America,
popular sectors of civil society have mobilized to halt the
DR-CAFTA, with police using water cannons and tear gas to
fend off demonstrators near Congress in Guatemala City. Authorities
are now threatening to bring in military reinforcements to
quell the protests. Luz Ruiz and Tim Russo have more from
Guatemala City.
[top]
Israel to Hand Over Control of West Bank Towns to
Palestinian Authority
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli defense
minister Shaol Mofaze have agreed on the handover of power
to the Palestinian authority in Jericho and Tulkarem in the
coming days- but without setting a precise date for the handover.
However, differences between both sides concerning Israeli
check points around the cities persist. The city of Jericho
was never reoccupied by Israeli forces during the Palestinian
intifada, but Tulkarem, in the north of the West Bank, remains
under military Israeli control. Our correspondent Awad Duaibes
reports from Tulkarem.
[top]
Los Angeles Mayor's Race Reminiscent of Last Election
Voter turnout was slow yesterday for the Los Angeles mayoral
primary. With a dozen contenders, the two opponents for the
run-off election in May are incumbent Jim Hahn and Councilman
Antonio Villaraigosa- the same candidates who faced off four
years ago. From KPFK, Free Speech Radio News correspondent
Page Getz has more.
[top]
Coalition of Immokalee Workers End Taco Bell Boycott
A collective of South Florida farm-workers is celebrating
a victory over the biggest restaurant owner on the planet.
And, as Andrew Stelzer reports, The end of the 4 year long
boycott of Taco bell has come with the Coalition of Immokalee
Workers getting a pay raise and guarantees for better working
conditions.
[top]
Utah Governor Signs Controversial Driving Privilege
Card Law
Despite mass protests and threats of strikes from community
and immigrant rights groups, Governor Jon Huntsman of Utah
signed a controversial "driving privilege card"
law into effect yesterday. Lawmakers passed legislation a
week ago that will phase out Utah drivers licenses for undocumented
immigrants and replace them with cards that are not valid
for identification. The governor refused to meet with immigrant
rights groups, who say they may seek a class-action lawsuit
to block the law, which they say is discriminatory and unconstitutional.
[top]
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