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> Thur., Apr. 21, 2005
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
House Ready to Pass Energy Bill Based on Questionable Task
Force
Sybel Edmonds Trial Update
Increasing Violence in Iraq
Rights Groups Denounce Possible Asbestos Legislation
Nicaraguan Sandinistas Organize Against DR-CAFTA
FSRN Headlines
Brazil has offered asylum to ousted Ecuadorian President
Lucio Gutierrez. After days of street protests, the Parliament
voted the leader out of office. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza
Rice is calling for immediate elections in Ecuador. However,
the constitutional process escalates Vice President Alfredo
Palacio to the position. Palacio, 66-years-old, and a cardiologist
by training became known as a prominent critic of the former
president and his economic policies. Counter demonstrations
broke out soon after his swearing in with protestors calling
for the Parliament to be dissolved. Palacio said he would
consider an early election but dismissed the possibility of
disbanding the Parliament.
Two controversial judicial nominations have passed through
the judiciary committee setting the stage for the so-called
“nuclear option” by Senate Republicans. Brian
Zinn reports from D.C. The Texas state legislature moved forward
on a bill that would prevent gays and lesbians from becoming
foster parents in the future and retroactively. From KPFT
in Houston, Renee Feltz explains.
Anticipating the Israeli government’s withdrawal from
Gaza, Palestinians are making plans for the use of settlement
buildings there. Manar Jibreen reports from the Independent
Middle East Media Center.
Chilean and Venezuelan officials sign an oil deal that advances
one nation’s candidate to be the likely head of the
Organization of American states. Jorge Garratón reports
from Santiago.
[top]
House Ready to Pass Energy Bill Based on Questionable
Task Force (4:11)
The House of Representatives is poised to pass an almost
$400 billion bill to overhaul US energy policy. The measure
would further deregulate the energy industry and add over
$20 billion in incentives for oil and gas companies for the
next ten years. The Energy bill is a product of Vice President
Dick Cheney's 2001 Energy Task Force. The administration has
refused to make task force documents public. But it has been
indicated that one participant was former Enron Executive
Ken Lay. Mitch Jeserich has more from the Capitol.
[top]
Sybel Edmonds Trial Update (3:26)
Press was denied access today to the US Court of Appeals
in oral arguments in the case involving former FBI employees
Sybel Edmonds and the Department of Justice. Edmonds was fired
by the FBI in 2002 after she exposed problems inside the spy
agency leading up to the 9/11 attacks, including shoddy translation
work and employees with questionable alliances. Dolores M.
Bernal has more.
[top]
Increasing Violence in Iraq (1:25)
A commercial helicopter was shot down Thursday north of Baghdad,
killing all 9 passengers on board. Robert Callahan is the
spokesman for the US Embassy in Baghdad.
AUDIO CUT
The helicopter was contracted by the US Defense Department.
Meanwhile, family members of over 50 people who were killed
and dumped into the Tigris River are attempting to identify
their relatives in photographs at a local police station.
Sunni insurgents have kidnapped as many as 100 Shias in the
last few weeks- it's believed the bodies found in the Tigris
are some of those who have been abducted. Iraqi President
Jalal Talabani:
AUDIO CUT
In a week of increasing violence in the region, Al-Qaida
claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing Thursday aimed
at interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, although Allawi was
not harmed.
[top]
Rights Groups Denounce Possible Asbestos Legislation
(5:00)
This week Republican Senator Arlen Specter introduced new
legislation that would create a no-fault trust fund to settle
asbestos claims. Many consider asbestos the country's largest
occupational health crisis--over 40 million U.S. workers have
been exposed to it, and related diseases are claiming up to
10,000 lives per year. Under Specter's bill, the companies
that manufactured or used asbestos, along with their insurers,
would pay into a $140 billion trust fund to settle claims.
In return, they would become immune to the lawsuits that have
bankrupted over 70 companies. But victim groups say the plan
would unfairly cap payments, delay compensation, and limit
eligibility. Brian Edwards-Tiekert has more.
[top]
Nicaraguan Sandinistas Organize Against DR-CAFTA
(3:26)
Nicaragua's capital city of Managua is in the middle of a
transportation crisis. Despite mass actions from student groups,
the government approved a bus fare-increase, although most
bus operators are refusing to drive for fear of being the
target of student unrest over the fare hike. This past week,
activists have commandeered and destroyed buses, blocked major
roads and exploded home-made bombs throughout Managua in opposition
to the increase. Local residents are crowding pick-up trucks
to maneuver through the city. It is unclear when bus service
will resume. Meanwhile, the Sandinista Party in Nicaragua
is doing everything it can to postpone the ratification of
the Dominican Republic Central American Free Trade Agreement,
or DR-CAFTA. Nan McCurdy has more from Managua.
[top]
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