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> Thur., Apr. 7, 2005
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
Senate Set to Approve $80 Billion for Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
Expo to Rebuild Iraq Comes Under Criticism
Democrats to Block Nomination to Stephen Johnson to Head the
EPA
Global "Gag Rule" May be Lifted
Mapuche Radio Under Attack in Chile
New Report Reveals Extreme Poverty in LA's Koreatown
FSRN Headlines
Connecticut’s Republican governor indicates she will
sign the civil union legislation that the state Senate passed
this week and the House is expected to vote on as early as
next week. Melinda Tuhus reports from New Haven.
The course of Mexico’s upcoming presidential election
will likely be determined today. Shannon Young explains why
from Oaxaca.
Members of Brazil’s landless movement occupied their
13th farm. Natalia Viana reports from Sao Paolo.
Potato farmers in Peru ended their strike but the government
may be facing dissent from others in the agricultural community.
Kristy Li Puma Herrera reports from Lima.
”The rule of law has ceased to function” in Nepal,
according to a report from the Advocacy Forum in Katmandu
and the Asian Legal Resource Center in Hong Kong. The report
also detailed the persistent practice of torture, violence
against women and children and forced disappearances by the
Security Forces of Nepal. The U.S. Pacific Command suspended
training of Nepalese Security Forces due to “unspecified
administrative reasons.” The statement coincided with
the suspension of arms supplies to Nepal by the United Kingdom
and India. Officials at the Royal Palace continue to crack-down
on press-freedom and information, blocking the transmission
of the “BBC World” and “Nepali Service”
transmitted through the State run Radio-Nepal. The King of
Nepal has put a strangle hold on the country saying he is
trying to halt a Maoist insurgency and regain control of the
country. The Maoist factions are in their 4th of an 11 day
strike, affecting most transportation and many businesses.
This report was provided by D. Michael Van De Veer now in
Katmandu.
[top]
Senate Set to Approve $80 Billion for Wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan (2:04)
Congress is poised to give President Bush 80 billion more
dollars for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Senate is
expected to pass the measure Monday. In the Senate Appropriation's
Committee yesterday afternoon every Democrat joined the Republicans
in supporting the extra money, but they weren't happy about
it. From Capitol Hill, Aaron Glantz has the story.
[top]
Expo to Rebuild Iraq Comes Under Criticism
(2:11)
Shiite Arab Ibrahim al-Jaafari has been sworn in as Iraq's
interim Prime Minister today. Al-Jaafari now has two weeks
to name a cabinet that will begin drafting a permanent constitution.
Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani was sworn in as president yesterday.
Few Sunnis are participating in the new government- many boycotted
the January elections or stayed away from polls because of
fear of attacks at polling places. Meanwhile, in neighboring
Jordan, about 1,000 companies displayed products and offered
services in Jordan in an exhibition focusing on rebuilding
Iraq. The exhibition is believed to be the largest ever to
take place in Jordan and has attracted more than 6,000 exhibitors
and visitors. But many in Jordan, home to some 500,000 Iraqis,
believe the exhibition was nothing more than media hype. Oula
Farawati has more in Amman.
[top]
Democrats to Block Nomination to Stephen Johnson
to Head the EPA (3:47)
Several Democrats announced today that they will hold back
the nomination of Stephen Johnson to head the Environmental
Protection Agency. They say they will not allow Johnson's
nomination go to a vote on the Senate floor until Johnson
commits to canceling a controversial EPA program that tests
pesticides on children. Mitch Jeserich has the story in Washington.
[top]
Global "Gag Rule" May be Lifted
(2:20)
The global "Gag Rule" may soon be lifted. President
Bush re-instated the rule in 2001, which forbids foreign family-planning
organizations that receive funds from the US from providing
or giving information about abortions. Women's reproduction
rights groups are optimistic that women abroad will once again
be able receive and have access to a range of reproductive
services. Dolores M. Bernal has more from the Capitol.
[top]
Mapuche Radio Under Attack in Chile (4:41)
With a population of over 600,000 people, the Mapuche Indians
make up the biggest ethnic minority in Chile. Their native
lands are the temperate rainforests in Southern Chile, but
for decades, and particularly during the military dictatorship
of the 70s and 80s, their lands have been taken away to make
way for the forestry industry and other private companies.
Many Mapuche farmers were forced to leave their homes and
move to cities like Santiago to make a living. Marginalized
by the dominant Spanish-speaking society, it is hard for them
to preserve their language and culture. A bilingual radio
program in Santiago, in Mapuche and Spanish has been trying
to help the Mapuche minority, as well as reporting about issues
concerning Mapuches in Southern Chile. Jorge Garreton has
more from Santiago.
[top]
New Report Reveals Extreme Poverty in LA's Koreatown
(3:38)
According to a new report, Koreatown is home to almost 150,000
low-income people and they suffer because they cannot afford
high costs of housing and health care costs due to their minimum
or poverty wages. FSRN'S Miae Kim reports.
[top]
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