Home > Programs
> FSRN
> Fri., June. 2, 2006
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
Thanks to FSRN.org
for making the daily programs available to Pacifica.org
Today's lead stories:
Major Powers Agree on Iran Deal
Another Massacre Uncovered
British Parliament Considers Controversial Armed Forces Bill
Drama Sparks Violence in Beirut
State of Conflict in Somalia
Venezuela Consolidates its Cooperative Movement
FSRN Headlines
RECORD HIGH FOR GREENHOUSE GASES
Carbon dioxide emissions have reached an all-time high, according
to new data from the U.N. Climate Secretariat in Bonn, Germany.
The United States, responsible for the overwhelming majority
of greenhouse gas emissions, has broken a new record by releasing
just over 7 billion tons of greenhouse gases in one year.
FOREIGN OIL WORKERS KIDNAPPED IN NIGERIA
Armed men have kidnapped eight western oil workers in Nigeria's
Niger Delta region. Sam Olukoya reports from Lagos.
Six of the kidnapped oil workers are from Britain while the
other two are from the United States and Canada. About 40
gun men in boats kidnapped the oil workers early Friday morning
at an offshore oil rig near the Nigerian coast. The rig is
operated by Fred Olsen Energy, a Norwegian oil company. A
presidential spokesman says the kidnapping is the result of
a disagreement between local communities and the oil company.
In recent months, there has been growing anger in local communities
in the Niger Delta against western oil companies operating
in the region. Local communities accuse western oil companies
of polluting their land and denying them a share of the billions
of dollars made yearly from oil sales. The growing anger has
culminated in the abduction of foreign oil workers. The situation
has severely disrupted Nigeria's oil exports. Nigeria is the
sixth largest oil exporter. For Free Speech Radio News, this
is Sam Olukoya in Lagos.
MAOISTS MARCH IN KATHMANDU
A massive pro-Maoist rally took place today in Nepal, the
first of its kind since the country agreed to a ceasefire
a month ago. Carey Biron has more.
More than 200,000 people showed up in the center of the capital
today for a rally organized by Nepal's Maoist rebels. The
vast majority were not from within the Kathmandu Valley itself,
but rather from many of the outlying areas of the country.
Hundreds of overloaded buses, which rebels had hijacked yesterday,
were seen ferrying around jubilant Maoist cadres in bright
red t-shirts specially printed for today's event. Reports
also surfaced, however, of many villagers being forced to
make the journey to the capital as a show of support. Meanwhile,
normal traffic was nearly halted, while hundreds of additional
armed police personnel were brought into the capital and the
newly renamed Nepal Army staked out the royal palace. Technically,
the tight security should not be necessary. One week ago today,
negotiating teams for the Maoists and the new democratic government
met for the first time since 2003, and hammered out a 25-point
agreement for code-of-conduct during the ceasefire. Prominently
listed as number two is that neither party shall quote "mobilize,
display or use their armed forces in a manner that could spread
fear and terror amongst the people." At similar rallies
that took place around the country earlier this week, however,
that point was reportedly already been broken. Carey Biron,
Kathmandu.
ABU GHRAIB DOG HANDLER SENTENCED
A US Army dog handler convicted yesterday of prisoner abuse
at Abu Ghraib was sentenced today to 90 days of hard labor.
The prosecution at the court martial of Sgt. Santos Cardona
had requested a 12 month prison sentence along with a dishonorable
discharge. In addition to his 90 days of hard labor, Sgt.
Cardona will be demoted and have $600 docked from his pay
each month for the next year. He is the 11th soldier convicted
of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib.
STUDENT MOBILIZATIONS IN CHILE
In Chile, the Government has issued a proposal in response
to the demands of striking high school students. In Santiago,
FSRN's Jorge Garretón has the story.
More than 400 students from throughout Chile are meeting
in an assembly to study the government response to their demands.
On a national televised address to the nation last night,
President Michelle Bachelet gave her government's response
to high school students who have been on strike for over two
weeks. The government gave in to most of the students' demands.
Bachelet said the government will issue a free national bus
pass, pay for nearly all students to take university entrance
exams, increase government subsidies to poor families, and
create a broad commission to discuss changes to the Education
Act, so that it would guarantee the right to an education.
After studying the government response, the students are expected
to meet with the Minister of Education to let the Government
know if they accept the proposal or if they will continue
negotiating on issues. If an agreement is not reached, the
students have called for a national strike Monday. Teachers,
health care workers, and university students have pledged
their support and plan to join the national strike. For FSRN
this is Jorge Garretón in Santiago.
TEACHER MOBILIZATIONS IN MEXICO
In Oaxaca, Mexico public school teachers are mobilizing against
a package of education reforms that would privatize the public
education system and drastically reduce the teaching of history
to Mexican students. Vladimir Flores reports from Oaxaca City.
Mexican public school teachers have been on strike for almost
two weeks. Tens of thousands of teachers have completely occupied
the state capital of Oaxaca, setting up tents and sleeping
in the streets and plazas of the city center. Their actions
have included blockades at the state governor's office and
at the city's international airport. During a massive march
today, at least seventy thousand teachers and their allies
demanded greater resources for public education from the state
and federal governments. (chanting sound) Although the teachers
receive support from campesino groups, indigenous organizations,
and other activists, their mobilizations are opposed by business
leaders, local politicians, and most mainstream media. This
morning, political leaders issued an ultimatum to the teachers
to either abandon their occupation of the city center or face
eviction by security forces. In Oaxaca City, I'm Vladimir
Flores for FSRN.
[top]
Major Powers Agree on Iran Deal (3:30)
Six world powers have agreed to a proposal to Iran that
offers incentives in exchange for abandoning its uranium enrichment.
The deal, whose details will be kept secret until Iran has
seen the proposals, is expected to end a diplomatic standoff.
Meanwhile, US Intelligence Chief Negroponte said in an interview
today that within 10 years, Iran will possess a nuclear bomb.
Anastasia Gnezditskaia in reports from Washington, DC.
[top]
Another Massacre Uncovered (3:49)
The number of allegations of US troops deliberately killing
Iraqi civilians continues to mount. Last night, the BBC broadcast
footage from an incident in March, in which U.S. soldiers
were accused of executing 11 Iraqis, including four children.
The U.S. military says it was hunting an al-Qaeda suspect,
but the Iraqi police maintain U.S. soldiers rounded up and
executed an entire family in a house which they then demolished.
FSRN's Aaron Glantz and Salam Talib report.
[top]
British Parliament Considers Controversial Armed
Forces Bill (3:12)
A proposal for an Armed Forces Bill is currently working
its way through Britain's Parliament, which would pave the
way to imprison so-called deserters for life. From London,
Naomi Fowler reports.
[top]
Drama Sparks Violence in Beirut (2:10)
In Beirut, a comedy skit by a right-wing Christian director
mocking Hezbollah leader Nasrallah caused sectarian tensions
to boil over, as angry Hezbollah supporters took to the streets.
Emily Dische-Becker and Jamal Ghosn report.
[top]
State of Conflict in Somalia (4:53)
The senior US diplomat who specializes in Somalia, Michael
Zorick, has been removed from his post in Nairobi after expressing
concerns about US support for the Mogadishu warlords. The
militia are loyal to a group of secular warlords who have
been battling rivals accused of sheltering al-Qaeda fighters.
Some 200 people have been killed in recent fighting between
the groups, and as FSRN'S Joshua Kyalimpa reports, the militias
of the Anti Terrorism Alliance supported by the U.S., have
attacked and overrun the only hospital in the capital and
local residents have no access to health facilities.
[top]
Venezuela Consolidates its Cooperative Movement
(3:08)
Cooperative businesses have become the center-piece of Venezuelan
President Hugo Chavez's process towards "21st century
socialism." Over 100,000 coops have been formed since
he took office 7 years ago. Mike Fox has more from Caracas.
[top]
|
Listen
to the show 
Help
stream
download
