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> Wed., Jan. 11, 2006
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
Alito Confirmation Hearing: Day 3
Freezing Weather Affects Quake Survivors in Kashmir
Israel Post Sharon
US Military Testing New Operation in Northern Iraq
Environmentalists Protests "Climate Conference"
Santa Cruz New Year’s Parade Organizing Infiltrated
by Police
FSRN Headlines
WEST REACTS TO TEHRAN
The Bush administration and the government of British Prime
Minister, Tony Blair, have both made statements indicating
that the United Nations Security Council will take up the
matter of Iran's decision to resume nuclear activity. This
comes the day after Iran angered Western leaders by breaking
the UN seals at a nuclear research facility. Even Russia,
usually an ally of Iran in international disputes, has voiced
concern about the move. Tehran claims the research is to generate
electricity, while many Western countries fear the research
will be used to develop nuclear weapons. Tony Blair today
told Parliament that the British, French, and German Foreign
Ministers will discuss the issue tomorrow in Berlin.
FORMER ARGENTINE MILITARY OFFICIAL INDICTED IN SPAIN
A Former Argentine Navy Officer will face trial in Spain for
crimes against humanity. The ex-military official worked at
Argentina's infamous ESMA clandestine detention center where
thousands of activists were tortured and murdered. Marie Trigona
reports from Buenos Aires.
A Spanish court has charged a former Argentine navy officer
with human rights abuses during Argentina's military regime
in the 1970's and 80's. A leading prosecutor argued yesterday
that Ricardo Miguel Cavallo should be sentenced to as many
as 17,000 of years in prison if convicted. The former navy
lieutenant has been charged with genocide, in addition to
multiple counts of murder and terrorism. The charges stem
from the years when he worked at the ESMA Navy Mechanics School
in Buenos Aires, which was used as a clandestine torture center.
At least 5,000 of Argentina's 30,000 disappeared were murdered
at the ESMA detention center between 1976-1983. Cavallo, in
Spanish custody since his 2003 extradition from Mexico, could
be tried in Madrid before the end of the year. For Free Speech
Radio News, I'm Marie Trigona in Buenos Aires.
DNA CASE AT SUPREME COURT
With the use of DNA evidence increasing while some states
are questioning the use capital punishment, a case before
the Supreme Court could affect how DNA evidence can be used
to exonerate prisoners. Darby Hickey has more from Washington
DC.
As the Senate Judiciary Committee Confirmation hearings of
Supreme Court Nominee Samuel Alito continued a block away,
the current Supreme Court heard oral arguments this morning
regarding Tennessee death row inmate who claims DNA evidence
proves his innocence. Paul Gregory House was convicted of
murder and sentenced to death in 1985, a crime House says
he did not commit. A link between House and some evidence
at the scene has been called into question by DNA testing,
but the prosecution says the evidence is not strong enough
to warrant a new trial. Nina Morrison of the Innocence Project,
an organization that filed an amicus brief in the case, says
the Court's ruling COULD impact how DNA evidence is used to
exonerate death row prisoners. (CLIP) On Tuesday, the New
Jersey Legislature voted for a moratorium on the death penalty,
while last week Virginia Governor Mark Warner announced plans
to test DNA evidence to determine the innocence of a man executed
in 1992. For FSRN I'm Darby Hickey in Washington DC.
WTO HEARING
The 14 protesters charged with unlawful assembly during the
World Trade Organization protests in Hong Kong appeared in
court today. FSRN's Dante Toza was at the hearing and files
this report.
At today's hearing, the prosecution dropped charges against
11 of the 14 protesters for lack of evidence. The 3 remaining
protesters, all Korean farmers, will face trial in March.
One is charged with unlawful assembly, while the other two
are changed with unauthorized assembly. Both offenses are
punishable by a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison. The
legal defense team for the farmers say there is evidence that
indicates two of the accused were absent from the scene during
the time of the alleged offense. The 3 farmers are free to
return to Korea after their release on $4000 bail. Pre-trial
review is set for Feb 6th and the 3 are due back in court
on March 1st. From Hong Kong, this is Dante Toza for Free
Speech Radio News.
ISRAEL REJECTS ROBERTSON
Israel has withdrawn support for a proposed Biblical theme
park project led by televangelist Pat Robertson. The day after
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a massive stroke,
Robertson said on television that the stroke was a sign of
divine retribution for last year's disengagement from the
Gaza Strip. The Christian Heritage Center theme park was a
tentative project in which the Israeli government was to allocate
a sprawling tract of land along the shores of the Sea of Galilee.
The televangelist was to lead the effort to raise 50 million
dollars for the park's construction. Today's edition of the
Jerusalem Post quotes Tourism Ministry spokesman Ido Hartuv
as saying, "We reconsidered the deal and realized that
we cannot sign with Robertson or anyone who supports his views."
Hartuv was careful to leave open the possibility of collaboration
with other evangelical groups critical of Robertson's comments.
[top]
Alito Confirmation Hearing: Day 3 (4:09)
Samuel Alito has faced the third day of confirmation hearings
on Capitol Hill, where he once again defended his decisions
during his 15 years on an appeals court, against charges that
he often ruled in favor of those in power. Alito has also
continued to scuttle questions on his stand on abortion. Yanmei
Xie reports from Capitol Hill.
[top]
Freezing Weather Affects Quake Survivors in Kashmir
(3:27)
Kashmir is facing one of its chilliest winters, with heavy
snowfall, while temperatures continue to drop drastically.
As Shahnawaz Khan reports from Srinagar, a scarcity of fuels
in Indian administered Kashmir’s quake zones are adding
to the survivors’ hardship.
[top]
Israel Post Sharon (3:44)
The Israeli political system has under gone an extraordinary
shakeup in the last two months, with the country witnessing
not only the formation of a new major centrist party, Kadima,
but now, the man at its helm, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon,
has effectively stepped out of politics due to a stroke. FSRN’s
Erica Vowles gets this Israeli perspective on what impact
Sharon’s departure will have on future prospects for
peace with the Palestinians.
[top]
US Military Testing New Operation in Northern Iraq
(3:43)
As suicide bombers continue to target both military personnel
and civilians in Iraq, the US military is continuing to implement
a new tactic in the country’s occupation. A village
in northern Iraq is now the testing ground for Operation Verdun,
where US military bulldozers are building a three meter tall
wall of sand, intended to block entry and exit from Al-Siniyah,
and area where US troops have seen high numbers of casualties
in recent weeks. Salam Talib and Eliana Kaya have more.
[top]
Environmentalists Protests "Climate Conference"
(2:53)
Some of the world’s biggest polluters met in Sydney,
Australia, to kick-off a 2-day conference to discuss global
warming. The Asia-Pacific Partnership for Clean Development
and Climate, led by the United States, and backed by Australia,
also includes India, China and South Korea. Environmental
groups are concerned that this new partnership will undermine
the Kyoto Protocol, especially because the terms of the partnership
do not require member countries to set targets for reducing
emissions, and in fact promote so-called clean coal solutions.
The new partnership aims to halve greenhouse gas emissions
by the end of the century, but as FSRN’s Cinnamon Nippard
reports from Sydney, environmentalists say this may just be
too late.
[top]
Santa Cruz New Year’s Parade Organizing Infiltrated
by Police (3:04)
Recent revelations that plainclothes police officers infiltrated
planning meetings for a New Year's parade, has citizens in
Santa Cruz, CA infuriated. As FSRN’s Vinny Lombardo
reports, nearly one hundred people turned out last night at
the Santa Cruz City Council meeting to express their outrage.
[top]
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