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> Wed., Apr. 26, 2006
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FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
Supreme Court Hears Arguments in 2 Cases
House Passes Resolution to Sanction Iran
Prisoners Still Facing Torture in Iraqi Prisons
Chinese President Hu Visits Nigeria
Philippine Military Issues Coup Warning Days Before May Day
Actions
20 Year Anniversary of Chernobyl
FSRN Headlines
CEASEFIRE AT RISK IN SRI LANKA
The Sri Lankan military today launched new strikes on areas
controlled by Tamil Tiger rebels, a day after a suicide bomb
attack shattered a fragile ceasefire. Ponniah Manikavasagam
reports from Sri Lanka.
Military spokesman, Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said the
strikes came after the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
fired on naval patrol craft off the eastern port of Trincomalee
for a second day. Tuesday's attack carried out by a female
suicide bomber at the army headquarters in the capital, Colombo,
killed 9 people and seriously wounded Sri Lankan Army Commander
Lt.Gen.Sarath Fonseka and over two dozen others. The government
blamed the Tamil Tigers for the attack. The rebels have denied
the charges. A rebel leader in the eastern part of the island
nation told reporters that today´s air attacks by government
forces killed 12 and forced 15,000 people to flee the area
for safety.The government said the strikes would last as long
as the Tigers continue their attacks. The head of the rebel's
peace secretariat told news agencies the Liberation Tigers
of Tamil Eelam, or the LTTE, will be forced to take military
defensive action. Ulf Henricsson, the head of the monitoring
team said the truce in Sri Lanka is still valid on paper,
but both parties have seriously violated the agreement. For
Free Speech Radio News, I am Ponniah Manikavasagm, from Vavuniya,
Sri Lanka.
MORE BOMBS IN THE SINAI
Two more bombs exploded in Egypt's Sinai peninsula today,
just two days after a deadly attack at a Sinai resort. Ursula
Lindsey reports.
Today's first suicide bombing targeted a base of the multinational
observer forces, stationed in Sinai to supervise the Egyptian-Israeli
peace agreement. The second suicide bomber attacked a police
station in the town of Al Arish. Although both bombers died
instantly, there were no casualties in either incident. The
attacks today followed a triple bombing on Monday in the Sinai
resort town of Dahab. The bombs there tore through a crowded
downtown area, killing at least 18 and injuring dozens more.
This is the third time in two years that tourist destinations
in Sinai have been targeted by terrorists. Egyptian authorities
have detained around 30 people in connection with the Dahab
attacks. For FSRN, I'm Ursula Lindsey in Cairo.
SOLOMON´S PM RESIGNS
The unpopular prime minister of the Solomon Islands has resigned
after only 3 days in office. Two days of rioting broke out
in the capital city of Honiara last week upon news of Snider
Rini's election. Protesters accuse Rini of corruption and
of working for the country's tiny community of Chinese elites.
Rini will stay on as a caretaker until a new Prime Minister
is elected.
BUSH NAMES SNOW AS NEW SPOKESMAN
At the White House, President Bush announced today that Fox
News anchor and commentator Tony Snow will replace Scott McLellan
as his Press Secretary.
ROVE TESTIFIES AGAIN TO GRAND JURY
Deputy White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove appeared once
again before a federal grand jury today to provide testimony
in the investigation of the leaking of the name of CIA agent
Valerie Plame to members of the press.
NET NEUTRALITY AND COMMUNITY MEDIA ACCESS
The Energy and Commerce Committee of the US House of Representatives
has met for 2 days now on a bill that could greatly impact
the future of community media and the Internet. Ryme Katkhouda
reports from Washington DC.
(roll call sound) The Full Committee on Energy and Commerce
barely had a quorum when it convened today to rewrite the
Telecommunications Act of 1996. [sound, fade under] Tossing
around rhetoric of economic and civil rights, democracy, and
the promise of universal service access, Congress members
argued for and against the bill and proposed amendments to
protect diversity, scope of franchise, and the poor by prohibiting
discrimination by income and an increase in digital divide.
The Barton-Rush bill, also known as "The Communications
Opportunity, Promotion, and Enhancement Act of 2006"
has many media and Internet activists worried about the neutrality
of the Internet and community access to media networks. Barbara
Popovic is the Executive Director of Chicago's Access Network
Television. [sound Popovic] I'm Ryme Katkhouda, dcradiocoop.org
for FSRN.
IMPEACHMENT RESOLUTIONS
Lawmakers in Vermont have introduced a resolution in the state's
legislature calling for the nation's Congress to begin impeachment
proceedings against President Bush. The resolution states
(quote) ""George W. Bush has committed high crimes
and misdemeanors as he has repeatedly and intentionally violated
the United States Constitution and other laws of the United
States,". The Illinois State Legislature introduced a
similar resolution on Monday. A state-level proposal is also
in the works in California. At the local level, Berkeley's
City Council passed an impeachment resolution just last night,
opening the door for a possible city-wide referendum. State
legislatures can compel the initiation of impeachment proceedings
at the national level, according to Jefferson's Manual, a
supplemental rule book of parliamentary procedure used by
the House of Representatives.
CANADA BANS MEDIA COVERAGE OF RETURNING COFFINS
Canada has now banned reporters from witnessing the return
of the coffins of Canadian soldiers. Alison Benjamin reports
from Vancouver.
Canada's conservative government took steps yesterday to
keep the public from seeing images of flag-draped coffins
containing Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan. The media
was banned Tuesday from the CFB Trenton base as the bodies
of Corporal Matthew Dinning, Bombardier Myles Mansel, Lieutenant
William Turner, and Corporal Randy Payne returned home. The
four soldiers were killed in an explosion Saturday. Defense
Minister Gordon O'Connor has indicated that the media ban
will apply to future deaths of Canadian soldiers. Prime Minister
Harper says opponents of the policy are politicizing the issue
and says that the media ban protects military families. The
new media ban is similar to one already in place in the US.
Alison Benjamin, FSRN, Vancouver.
[top]
Supreme Court Hears Arguments in 2 Cases
The Supreme Court heard back to back oral arguments for
two cases today, one concerning details of lethal injection
used in executions, and one dealing with racketeering charges
by employees against their employer for hiring undocumented
workers. Darby Hickey reports from Washington DC.
[top]
House Passes Resolution to Sanction Iran
Tehran warned the United States today that if they attack
Iran, US interests around the world will suffer. In Washington,
the House of Representatives passed a resolution to impose
sanctions on that country because of its commitment to enrich
uranium. FSRN's Leigh Ann Caldwell reports.
[top]
Prisoners Still Facing Torture in Iraqi Prisons
As the Iraqi government remains in a transitory state, some
of the greatest losers are the thousands of Iraqis in prisons
around the country. Torture continues in some Iraqi facilities,
making the families of prisoners even more apprehensive. FSRN’s
David Enders is in Baghdad, and files this report.
[top]
Chinese President Hu Visits Nigeria
Chinese President Hu Jintao is on a one week visit to Africa.
The world's second largest energy consumer depends on sub-Saharan
Africa for about 28% of its oil imports, and some analysts
say the reason for President Hu’s visit is the quest
for Africa’s oil. But there are concerns that in its
effort to improve business ties with Africa, China is selling
arms to African countries that have dismal human rights records.
Sam Olukoya reports from Lagos.
[top]
Philippine Military Issues Coup Warning Days Before
May Day Actions
This Philippine military warned today that anti-government
forces are once again plotting to overthrow President Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo. Authorities said the new attempt would take
advantage of the labor protest on the first of May. FSRN’s
Girlie Minao reports from Manila.
[top]
20 Year Anniversary of Chernobyl
Today marks the 20-year anniversary of the Chernobyl Nuclear
Disaster – and 2 new reports indicate that tens of thousands
of people will likely die of various cancers caused by radiation
from the Chernobyl explosion. The Other Report on Chernobyl
and one issued by Greenpeace both challenge an International
Atomic Energy Agency report that forecasted an estimated 4,000
deaths from the worse nuclear power accident in the world
history: When the Soviet era Chernobyl reactor blew in 1986
it blasted 200 times the combined radiation of the Hiroshima
and Nagasaki atom bombs into the environment. Fallout from
the disaster drifted not only over parts of the former Soviet
Union, but throughout Eastern Europe, the UK, and the eastern
United States. FSRN’s Danuta Szafracniec has more from
Warsaw.
[top]
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