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> Fri., Apr. 7, 2006
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Today's lead stories:
Bush Doesn't Deny CIA Leak
Senate Falters on Immigration
Iraqi Reconstruction Expo
CA Lawsuit to Stop Electronic Voting Machines
Universal Healthcare in Massachusetts
Economic Talks in Africa
FSRN Headlines
SHIITE MOSQUE ATTACKED IN BAGHDAD
A double suicide bombing at Shiite mosque in northern Baghdad
today killed at least seventy people. David Enders reports.
The bombing came a day after a bombing in Najaf, near one
of the holiest shrines in Shiite Islam, that killed ten people
and was at least the third bombing of a Shiite mosque this
week. The mosque belonged to the Supreme Council for the Islamic
Revolution in Iraq, one of the country's two main Shiite parties.
The mosque bombings have both further exacerbated sectarian
tensions but have also prompted strong anti-American rhetoric
from Shiites, increasingly eager to take over security responsibilities,
saying that the US has failed in it's duties to secure Iraqi
cities. In Baghdad, I'm David Enders reporting for FSRN.
STRIKE CONTINUES IN NEPAL
In Nepal, a 4-day general strike called by the country's sidelined
political parties continued into its second day today. The
strike is in protest of King Gyanendra's autocratic rule.
The King took total control of Nepal's political system in
February 2005 in what many refer to as a "palace coup".
Police have detained hundreds in Kathmandu since the strike
began yesterday. Pro-democracy activists are calling for massive
demonstrations tomorrow.
CALLS FOR FURTHER POLITICAL CHANGE IN THAILAND
Opponents to Thailand's Prime Minister Shinawatra continue
to mobilize to press for political change. Severine Bardon
reports from Bangkok.
Twenty-thousand people gathered tonight in the heart of Bangkok,
in a cheerful atmosphere filled of music and entertainment.
They came to celebrate what they consider a victory over Prime
Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who announced he would not pursue
another term as Prime minister, despite his party's victory
in Sunday's elections. Leaders of the People's Alliance of
Democracy, a loose association of opposition personalities
which organised the previous demonstrations, came on stage
to celebrate with their militants, but also to announce their
next battle plans. Thailand's opposition is not yet fully
convinced that Thaksin will abandon his political influence.
And the alliance is now pressing for a constitutional reform
that would include more checks and balances on the prime minister's
powers. Thailand's political crises is not over yet, since
further elections must be held before the Parliament can gather
and eventually choose a new prime minister who could lead
the necessary reforms. For Free Speech Radio News, I'm Severine
Bardon in Bangkok.
WHO RELEASES REPORT TO MARK WORLD HEALTH DAY
A World Health Organization report released today has found
that fifty-seven countries have critical shortages of health
workers. Most affected are countries in sub-Saharan Africa,
where 36 nations are experiencing chronic shortfalls in health
care staff. According to the report, sub-Saharan Africa has
11% of the world's population and 24% of the global burden
of disease but only 3% of the world's health workers.
EU SUSPENDS AID TO PA
Two Israeli air strikes in Southern Gaza killed 6 people today,
including 2 children. This afternoon, the US State Department
announced the suspension of hundreds of millions of dollars
of aid to the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority. This comes
just after the European Union implemented a similar measure.
Laila El-Haddad has more from Gaza.
The EU Commission said it had halted all payments to the
Palestinian government because the new cabinet had not yet
recognized Israel's right to exist or renounced the use of
arms. Hamas on Friday condemned the decision as collective
punishment, saying it would only increase the suffering of
the Palestinian people and "provide a cover for the Israeli
occupation." Government officials also said the move
would make Hamas more popular and spoke of a double-standard
since Israel, the largest recipient of US aid, has not yet
recognized Palestinian rights. The shortage of funds have
forced the new government to delay paying salaries to employees,
including some 50, 000 armed security forces. The new Hamas
government has inherited an authority that is more than $1.3
billion in debt. Since they swept to power in democratic elections
in January, the Israeli government has imposed a prolonged
closure on Gaza that has led to food shortages and withheld
some $ 50 million in monthly tax revenues. The International
Relations Committee of the US House of Representatives yesterday
passed a bill that would bar almost all aid to the PA. The
World Bank recently warned that as a result of the sanctions,
the Palestinian Authority faces imminent collapse, something
that could lead to more violence and chaos, unless a long-term
funding plan is developed by the US-led quartet.
STUDENT ACTIVISM IN LOS ANGELES
In the US, students continue mobilizing around pending immigration
legislation currently under debate in the Senate. 40 students
from Wilson High School went to the Los Angeles Unified School
District Board meeting last night, to make three demands.
Students want the Board to make a resolution against HR4437;
to declare all schools in the district "safe zones"
for all students, regardless of immigration status; and to
urge the board to stop the use of punitive measures like school
lockdowns. Alex Ramirez is a 17-year-old student. (Alex sound)
The Board is still considering the demands.
PROTESTS IN ECUADOR AGAINST TRADE AGREEMENT
Protests against a proposed bi-lateral free trade agreement
between the United States and Ecuador have left one student
dead and two others injured by live ammunition in the city
of Cuenca in southern Ecuador. Yesterday's deadly protest
was part of a series of actions carried out this week in Ecuador
to pressure the government to pull out of the free trade negotiations.
Indigenous organizations playing a key role in the protests
say that dozens of activists have been arrested in recent
days. President Alfredo Palacio declared a state of exception
on March 21st in various parts of the country where mobilizations
have been most intense. Organizations opposed to the free
trade agreement say it compromises national sovereignty and
will have a devastating impact on domestic agriculture.
[top]
Bush Doesn't Deny CIA Leak (2:52)
The White House today declined to challenge the assertions
that President Bush authorized the leak of the identity of
CIA operative Valerie Plame to the public, Valerie Plame is
the wife of Ambassador Joe Wilson who provided evidence suggesting
that Saddam Hussein never tried to buy uranium from Niger
so to build a nuclear weapon. Court documents show that former
Chief of Staff for the Vice President Scooter Libby, who has
been indicted for obstructing the investigation of the leak,
has said the President Bush gave his final authorization for
the lead. Free Speech Radio News spoke with the ranking Democrat
on the House Judiciary Committee John Conyers of Detroit about
the leak.
[top]
Senate Falters on Immigration (3:43)
Meanwhile in the Senate, a so called compromise bill on
immigration failed to receive enough votes for passage today.
Selina Musuta has more from Capitol Hill.
[top]
Iraqi Reconstruction Expo (3:03)
In Jordan an Iraq reconstruction expo in Amman, Jordan is
underway in which participants say very little progress has
been made on the reconstruction of the chaos-stricken country.
Oula Farawati has more.
[top]
CA Lawsuit to Stop Electronic Voting Machines
(3:27)
A lawsuit has been to stop the use of Deibold electronic
voting machines in California after a state report on the
voting machines identified numerous security flaws in the
system. FSRN's Christina Aanestad reports.
[top]
Universal Healthcare in Massachusetts (2:23)
The Ma. Legislators passed a bill earlier this week aimed
at bringing health care coverage to all of the state's residence.
On paper at least, it sounds like a lofty goal, but achieving
it becomes another matter. From Boston, Chuck Rosina has more.
[top]
Economic Talks in Africa (4:42)
The warring nations around Africa's Great Lakes region,
as well as the United Nations and the African Union, are meeting
in Kampala in an attempt to work out economic deals that could
lead to a greater peace among the nations. The great lakes
region has the largest natural resource base that attracts
foreign attention and became a theatre of cold war fighting
between the East and west in the 1950s. This wealth has until
now served multinational mining companies and the warlords,
but not the Congolese people. Joshua Kyalimpa reports.
[top]
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