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> Thur., May. 4, 2006
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Today's lead stories:
Zapatistas on Red Alert after Raid on San Salvador Atenco
Senate Judiciary Committee Votes on Bush Nominee for 9th Circuit
Court
Investigation into Gas Gouging
Nepals Attempt at a Constituent Assembly
Farm Workers Resisting in South Africa's Wine-Producing Western
Cape
FSRN Headlines
RED ALERT IN MEXICO
Street blockades have cropped up around Mexico City today,
after a battle yesterday between townspeople and police near
the Mexican capital left one 14 year-old dead. The confrontation
prompted the declaration of a red alert, now in effect in
Mexico's Zapatista rebel territory. Luz Ruiz reports from
San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas.
....We'll have more on the developing situation in Mexico
City, later in the newscast.
MAPUCHE PEOPLE OCCUPY CHILEAN CONSULATE IN ARGENTINA
Indigenous Mapuche continue to occupy the Chilean consulate
in the city of Bariloche, in southern Argentina. Mat Goldin
reports from Buenos Aires.
FROM CAPITAL HILL
Lobby reform legislation narrowly passed the House of Representatives
yesterday by a vote of 217 213. Many Republicans defected
from their party in opposition to the bill, saying it does
little to reign in lobbyists and make their work in Washington
more transparent. Today in the Senate, the 107 billion emergency
supplemental passed by a large majority. The funds will pay
for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the war on terror, and
Hurricane Katrina recovery. President Bush has threatened
to veto the bill if it totals more than the 92 billion he
requested. The House and Senate must reach a compromise before
both bills are sent to the President's desk.
FRENCH SCANDAL
French prime minister Dominique de Villepin today resisted
mounting pressure to resign, in the midst of a scandal which
has been compared to the U-S's Watergate affair. Tony Cross
in Paris takes a look at what's become known as the "Clearstream
Affair".
GLOBAL WARMING AFFECTING TRADE WINDS
Climatologists are now saying that global warming is affecting
and altering complex wind and current patterns in the Pacific
Ocean. In a report published today in the journal, NATURE,
scientist Gabriel Vecchi of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration writes that the Pacific wind system known as
the Walker Circulation has lost 3% of its strength since the
mid-1880s and predicts that it could weaken by 10% within
the next 100 years. Changes in the Walker circulation are
known to contribute to the so-called "El Niño"
weather phenomena. Vecchi and his research team say greenhouse
gases are to blame.
[top]
Zapatistas on Red Alert after Raid on San Salvador
Atenco (2:41)
Zapatistas have declared a Red Alert, closing caracoles
and Autonomous Municipalities in the state of Chiapas, after
the violent eviction yesterday of workers and farmers trying
to sell flowers in a market near Mexico City, where Wal-Mart
is attempting to build a another superstore, left 2 dead and
at least 48 people injured. Social groups, student and indigenous
organizations are shutting down highways, and occupying schools
today. Demonstrations at Mexican Consulates in New York and
Los Angeles are scheduled to begin tomorrow, denouncing the
Federal Polices actions. Mass mobilizations are already occurring
throughout Mexico City, where Subcomandante Marcos is participating
in pacifist political acts. FSRNs Vladimir Flores reports.
[top]
Senate Judiciary Committee Votes on Bush Nominee
for 9th Circuit Court (4:10)
Senate Judiciary Committee members cast their votes today
for Randy Smith of Idaho, a Bush nominee for the position
of United States 9th Circuit Court Judge. Smith won the nomination
with a slim, 2 vote margin. Committee Members voted along
strict party lines, which critics condemn, citing the Circuit
Courts deal with interpreting law not partisan party issues.
FSRNs Anastasia Gnezditskaia has more from DC.
[top]
Investigation into Gas Gouging (2:11)
High costs at the gas pumps and higher profits for the oil
and gas industry have prompted California's Attorney General
Bill Lockyear to investigate oil companies on gas gouging.
States across the country are doing the same, and consumer
rights groups are calling for a windfall tax to invest in
alternative energy. FSRNs Christina Aanestad reports.
[top]
Nepals Attempt at a Constituent Assembly (5:02)
Maoist rebels in Nepal have agreed today to an offer made
by Nepals new Cabinet to enter into peace talks, which might
bring an end to the decade old insurgency which has claimed
the lives of over 13,000 people. Meanwhile, the Seven Parties
Alliance (SPA) has finally passed the resolution to hold elections
for a constituent assembly that would draft a new constitution.
The purpose of the new constitution is to institutionalize
total democracy so that no one would be able to manipulate
it to usurp powers at will. Most of the SPA constituents are
in favor of dismantling the institution of monarchy and usher
a republican polity which even Maoist rebels have been unequivocally
insisting for. But many doubt that the proposed constituent
assembly and a new constitution may be actualized as smoothly
as the parliamentarians passed their resolution. FSRNs PC
Dubey reports from Katmandu.
[top]
Farm Workers Resisting in South Africa's Wine-Producing
Western Cape (4:20)
South Africa celebrated its 12th anniversary of non-racial
elections last week. FSRN Correspondent Terna Gyuse spent
it with farm workers who are fighting displacement in the
wealthy wine-producing region of the Western Cape.
[top]
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