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> Mon., May. 8, 2006
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
General Michael Hayden Nominated to Head CIA
San Salvador Atenco: Prisoners Claim Physical and Sexual Abuse
UN Security Council Veto-Holding Members Meet to Discuss Iran
Palestinians on Hunger Strike Following Continued Strikes
and Occupation by Israeli Forces
“Health Care Week” Sees Competing Proposals in
Congress
Immigrant Communities Weigh in on “English Only”
Initiatives
FSRN Headlines
PHILIPPINE LEGISLATORS FREE TO GO HOME
Five leftist lawmakers accused of involvement in a coup plot
against Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in February
today walked out of Congress where they had sought refuge
for more than two months to avoid arrest for rebellion charges.
Girlie Linao reports from Manila.
Hundreds of cheering supporters and colleagues welcomed the
five lawmakers who emerged from the House of Representatives
compound, with their clenched fists raised in the air. A Manila
judge earlier threw out rebellion charges filed against them
by police due to a technicality. The lawmakers - all members
of left-wing parties - led a march towards the nearby University
of the Philippines, where they vowed to continue working for
the ouster of Arroyo. Satur Ocampo, Liza Maza, Teodoro Casion,
Joel Virador and Rafael Mariano hid in the House of Representatives
70 days ago, hours after their colleague, Crispin Beltran,
was picked up by police. Beltran has remained in police detention
since than and is facing rebellion charges. While police had
no arrest warrants, the lawmakers were sought for their alleged
involvement in a plot to oust Arroyo, who declared a week-long
emergency rule to thwart the attempt in February. Arroyo has
been battling calls for her removal since June 2005 over allegations
she cheated in the May 2004 presidential elections. For Free
Speech Radio News, I'm Girlie Linao in Manila.
PRESSURE ON BLAIR TO RESIGN
Tony Blair is fighting for his political life after disastrous
local election results for his party last week and several
corruption scandals involving government at the highest levels.
From London, Naomi Fowler reports.
Rumours are flying that 50 Members of Parliament from Tony
Blair's own party are collecting signatures for him to name
a date when he will step down as leader. But today, Tony Blair,
looking stressed, refused to name a time for his departure:
(BLAIR) "As you all know, for the first time for a sitting
prime minister, prior to the last election, I answered the
inevitable question as to whether…my third election
would be my last and I said it would be. I did so precisely
to show that I had no intention…of going on and on and
on…but I would remind you, we are barely one year from
that general election when I was returned to office as prime
minister. To state a timetable now would simply paralyze the
proper working of government, put at risk the necessary changes
we are making for Britain and therefore damage the country."
But while many members of his party say his continued presence
is what's doing the damage, Blair and his supporters say some
pressuring him to leave have a political agenda. They want
a reversal of his government's marketisation of public services.
Tonight Tony Blair will meet with Labour party members of
Parliament. This is Naomi Fowler in London for Free Speech
Radio News.
NEPALI GOVERNMENT RECALLS AMBASSADORS APPOINTED BY KING GYANENDRA
Nepal's recently seated government has begun to recall ambassadors
appointed by King Gyanendra and to annul some appointments
of high level officials. PC Dubey reports.
Twelve ambassadors in major countries like the United States,
The UK, India, China and Russia were among the first to go.
Pro-democracy advocated are expected to fill the now-empty
high offices. The government has also fired half a dozen senior
civil and police officials for their role in fostering royal
autocracy. Yogendra Manas, a social activist, feels the government's
move is a diversion from the prime goals of the people's movement
that brought it in power. Manas says that Prime Minister Koirala
must promptly initiate peace talks with Maoists rebels, instead
of mounting a campaign of power gimmicks aimed at favoring
his own loyalists. (Manas) "If he fails to bring peace
and economic stability, the worst is yet to come." From
Kathmandu I am PC Dubey for Free Speech Radio News.
NEW RESULTS OF BOOT CAMP DEATH AUTOPSY
A new autopsy performed on Martin Lee Anderson, a 14 yr old
who died in January at Florida boot camp, has concluded that
the youth died from suffocation. The case made national headlines
and sparked local protests when a medical examiner determined
that Anderson died from sickle cell trait, despite video evidence
of a severe beating by the camp's guards the day before his
death. During the beating, guards stuffed ammonium tablets
up the teen's nose and covered his mouth. The new autopsy
directly attributes Anderson's death to the guards' actions.
VENEZUELA TO RAISE TAXES ON FOREIGN OIL COMPANIES
Just days after the latest South-American energy summit, and
almost a week after Bolivia nationalized its oil and gas reserves,
Venezuela announced yesterday new and increased taxes on foreign
companies. Mike Fox has more from Caracas.
On his weekly television show yesterday, Venezuelan President
Hugo Chavez announced a new "extraction" tax for
foreign oil companies operating in Venezuela. Chavez said
the tax could create $1 billion in new revenue. Other tax
hikes are in the planning stages for natural gas companies
and for the oil companies operating along the Orinoco River.
The Orinoco basin is believed to have extra-heavy crude reserves
of up to 235 billion barrels. Chavez said that new taxes are
a result of the fact that with oil prices at record highs,
oil companies operating in Venezuela are making "a lot
of money." Joint venture operations with Venezuela's
PEDEVSA will be exempt from the new tax, as they are partially
state-owned and already pay high royalties. Additional details
regarding the taxes are expected soon.
[top]
General Michael Hayden Nominated to Head CIA
(4:15)
President Bush has nominated General Michael Hayden to head
the CIA after Porter Goss’ abrupt resignation Friday.
Intelligence officials back Hayden’s nomination, but
Congress members are expressing concern over Bush’s
decision to place a military man to lead a civilian intelligence
agency, and over Hayden’s authorization of the controversial
NSA wiretapping program. FSRN's Leigh Ann Caldwell reports.
[top]
San Salvador Atenco: Prisoners Claim Physical and
Sexual Abuse (3:46)
In Mexico, the 217 people arrested last week in San Salvador
Atenco remain in jail - and many have begun a hunger strike.
The whereabouts of dozens of people remains unknown days after
thousands of federal and state police raided the small town
near Mexico City. A twenty year old university student is
in a coma in critical condition after a long-range tear gas
canister fractured his skull. Women arrested in Thursday morning's
raid report sexual abuse and at least 4 women say they were
raped in police vehicles during the transfer to the prisons
in which they are currently being held. Over the weekend,
Mexican immigration authorities deported 5 foreigners picked
up during the Atenco raids – 2 women deported to Spain
corroborated the stories of abuse to the La Jornada newspaper
today. The few attorneys that have been able to see the prisoners
from the Atenco raid say that many are seriously injured and
in need of medical attention. FSRN’s Vladimir Flores
reports.
[top]
UN Security Council Veto-Holding Members Meet to
Discuss Iran (2:54)
Veto-holding members of the UN Security Council met in New
York over the weekend, in their attempt to reach an agreement
on a resolution demanding that Iran halt its nuclear enrichment
and development program. According to Iran, its nuclear program
is confined to generating alternative power - on Sunday the
country renewed threats to withdraw from the non-proliferation
treaty which would end international supervision. FSRN’s
Danuta Szafraniec has more from New York.
[top]
Palestinians on Hunger Strike Following Continued
Strikes and Occupation by Israeli Forces (2:24)
Nine Palestinians have been killed by Israeli air strikes
and invasions in the past few days, and Palestinian borders
have remained completely closed by Israeli authorities occupying
Palestinian land. In response to the ongoing siege, several
prominent Palestinians have gone on hunger strike in the city
of Jenin. FSRN’s Saed Bannoura reports.
[top]
“Health Care Week” Sees Competing Proposals
in Congress (2:27)
Republicans in the US Senate have proclaimed this will be
"Health Care Week." One of the issues at the center
of health care debate is how to make insurance more affordable
to small businesses. The Senate is set to vote on a bill sponsored
by Wyoming Republican and Chairman of the Health Committee,
Mike Enzi. Democrats, however, claim they have a better solution.
FSRN’s Yanmei Xie has more from the Capitol.
[top]
Immigrant Communities Weigh in on “English
Only” Initiatives (3:36)
A group of House Republicans plan to submit an amendment
this week to strike down a 1965 Voting Rights Act provision
that includes bilingual ballots and translation assistance
at the polls. Supporters of such initiatives say that demanding
English fluency unifies the country, but some question whether
the government can make those demands without creating and
funding services that teach English to non-English speakers.
FSRN’s Selina Musuta reports from Montgomery County,
Maryland, an area that has seen a boom in immigration and
along with it, a demand for adult English classes.
[top]
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