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> Wed., Feb. 22, 2006
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
Uproar over UAE Controlling Ports Continues on Capitol Hill
Critics Say Politicians Using Port Issue to Demonize Arabs
2 Day Sri Lankan Peace Talks Begin Today
Housing Authority of New Orleans Creates New Rules
Solidarity Groups Weigh In On Move to Suspend Funding to Palestine
Biodisel Production Alternative to Oil Addiction
FSRN Headlines
CALIFORNIA EXECUTIONS IN LIMBO
California prison officials have called off the scheduled
execution of convicted murder and rapist, Michael Morales.
The move leaves California's execution process in limbo and
will lead to the first court hearing in the nation over the
constitutionality of execution by lethal injection. Christopher
Martinez reports from KPFA.
California's execution of convicted murder Michael Morales
has been called off for the second time in 24 hours, after
a whirlwind of activity that has included objections from
doctors and nurses and questions over whether the lethal injection
process is inhumane. Morales was scheduled for execution shortly
after midnight Tuesday morning in a process that included
2 court-ordered anesthesiologists...but they withdrew at the
11th hour, saying "what is being asked of us now is ethically
unacceptable." Franklin Zimring is a law professor at
the University of California in Berkeley. "This California's
first adventure with civil disobedience in the execution process."
When the state re-scheduled the execution for 7:30 Tuesday
evening, with new procedures and without the anesthesiologists,
a federal judge ordered that the lethal injection be given
by a medical professional. But doctors and nurses groups have
objected because of medical ethics guidelines that bar them
from taking part in executions. The state again called off
the execution because it could not find a doctor or nurse
willing to act as executioner. Federal judge, Jeremy Fogel,
has scheduled a hearing on the constitutionality of California's
execution by lethal injection. That hearing, the first of
its kind in the nation, will take place in early May. Until
then, executions in California will be on hold. Reporting
for Free Speech Radio News , I'm Christopher Martinez.
SHIA SHRINE DAMAGED BY BOMB
A bombing attack this morning in Samarra, Iraq completely
destroyed the gold dome of one of the holiest sites to Shia
Muslims. The partial destruction of the shrine sparked massive
protests in cities throughout Iraq. Sectarian violence between
Shias and Sunnis that erupted after this morning's explosion
has left at least 6 dead.
SECTARIAN VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA
In Nigeria, more than seventy people have been killed and
several places of worship have been incinerated in recent
sectarian violence between Christians and Muslims. Sam Olukoya
reports from Lagos.
The violence started on Saturday in the predominantly Muslim
north. A protest by Muslim youths against cartoons of Prophet
Mohammad in a Danish newspaper culminated in an attack on
Christians. Nigeria's main Christian body, the Christian Association
of Nigeria, says fifty-one Christians were killed, while thirty
churches were burned down. News of the attacks was received
with anger in the predominantly Christian south. In the Southern
city of Onitsha, violence broke out when the remains of some
of those killed in the north were brought to the town for
burial. Christian youths took to the street to attack northern
Muslims. At least twenty Muslims were killed while two mosques
were set on fire. Religious conflicts between the north and
south have claimed more than ten thousand lives in the last
six years. As Africa's most populous country and the continent's
leading oil exporter, any major crisis in Nigeria is likely
to have negative international implications. For Free Speech
Radio News, this is Sam Olukoya in Lagos.
STATE OF EMERGENCY IN ECUADOR
Ecuador's president declared a State of Emergency last night
in the wake of protests that have slowed oil production in
the Amazon province of Napo. Protesters continue to occupy
a pumping station that supplies the country's most important,
privately-owned pipeline. They are reportedly holding 24 pipeline
workers hostage. The protesters are calling for greater investment
in infrastructure projects and for a greater share of the
oil wealth to benefit the local communities. At airtime, troops
were being deployed to the region.
IMPLICATIONS OF CLEAR SKIES TREATY
A draft treaty between the European Union and the US threatens
the ability of European Union states to legislate against
the most polluting transport industry in the world; air travel.
From London, Naomi Fowler reports:
The air industry is an effectively subsidised industry. Unlike
road or rail operators, airlines are still not required to
pay tax on fuel. How long that can last may depend on international
agreements, which campaigners say are going in entirely the
wrong direction. Article 14 of this draft 'Open Skies' treaty
says that any EU country wanting to legislate against noise
and air pollution by the aviation industry will first have
to reach agreement with each other and with the US. That means
that signatories will sign away their individual power to
impose such things as environmental taxes, restrictions and
safeguards on airlines. Any disagreement between nations would
be referred to a committee comprising airports, airlines,
and governments. The treaty says that signatories must "recognise
that the costs and benefits of measures to protect the environment
must be carefully weighed". The treaty requires 65% of
EU countries to approve it for it to be enacted. However,
some EU states want amendments and are hoping to negotiate
before the vote. This is Naomi Fowler in London for Free Speech
Radio News.
[top]
Uproar over UAE Controlling Ports Continues on Capitol
Hill (2:26)
The uproar from both Democratic and Republican officials
over a company based in the United Arab Emirates managing
US ports continues. The White House is working to calm Congressional
members by conducting briefings, trying to assure Congress
that the program is secure. Leigh Ann Caldwell has more from
Capitol Hill.
[top]
Critics Say Politicians Using Port Issue to Demonize
Arabs (2:34)
As local, state and federal lawmakers from both parties
are saying that the Bush administration may be placing the
country at risk by allowing the transfer of ports to a company
based in the United Arab Emirates, that up until now are managed
by a British company. But some critics say that lawmakers
are using the controversy to make Arabs synonymous with terrorism.
We’re joined on the line by Rabiah Amhed with Council
on American-Islamic Relations.
[top]
2 Day Sri Lankan Peace Talks Begin Today
(1:47)
Sri Lanka marks the fourth anniversary of its ceasefire
with peace talks mediated by Switzerland and Norway. The truce
has paved the way for a recovery in Sri Lanka's $20 billion
economy, which has expanded in every subsequent quarter. The
country’s progress toward a peace settlement is a condition
set by donor countries, including the U.S. and Norway, for
providing $4.5 billion in aid. Ponniah Manikavaasagam has
more.
[top]
Housing Authority of New Orleans Creates New Rules
(3:40)
The Housing Authority of New Orleans put forth new rules
this week, defining who can return to the city's housing developments.
Six months after Hurricane Katrina, only a small number of
housing development residents have been allowed back, and
critics say that the Housing Authority isn't working hard
enough to bring back the people who it served. FSRN's Christian
Roselund is in New Orleans, and spoke with public housing
residents.
[top]
Solidarity Groups Weigh In On Move to Suspend Funding
to Palestine (4:16)
The Palestinian solidarity movement is concerned at the
growing number of calls by US Congress-members and their European
allies to suspend financial aid to Palestine. Groups are now
calling for an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestine
and for the international community to respect the democratic
process which led to Hamas’ recent victory in the Palestinian
Legislative Council. DC Radio Coop’s Ryme Katkhouda
has more from Washington DC.
[top]
Biodisel Production Alternative to Oil Addiction
(4:23)
The idea that farmers could produce the fuel we use to drive
our cars and heat our homes, effectively putting oil barons
out of business; has been germinating since the 1970s energy
crisis. Three decades later, an ongoing war in Iraq, disasters
from global warming and $3 a gallon gasoline prices, may see
homegrown biodiesel production finally take root. Following
Minnesota's lead, Washington State is advancing alternative
energy bills that would provide loans for growing biodiesel
crops and mandate biodiesel and ethanol fuel standards. Martha
Baskin has our story.
[top]
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