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> Fri., June. 9, 2006
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
Date For Palestinian Referendum
Israeli PM Goes to Jordan
Delay's Last Remarks
House Approves Foreign Ops Bill
The World Cup & Sex Trafficking
Protesting A Mining Company
White House's Neighbor Closes
FSRN Headlines
AIR STRIKES AGAINST GAZA
An Israeli missile hit a crowded Gaza beach this afternoon,
killing a number of vacationing Palestinian civilians. Saed
Bannoura reports.
The Israeli missile dropped on the crowded beach this afternoon
killed 11 Palestinians and wounded forty. Today's attack follows
an air strike last night that killed the leader of the Palestinian
Popular Resistance Committees and three others. A separate
attack killed 4 other Palestinians today in the northern Gaza
Strip. Palestinian prime minister, Ismail Haniyeh: (actuality)
"These crimes and assassinations aim to break the will
of the Palestinian people and to destroy any chance for a
peaceful solution, to resume the unjust siege against the
Palestinian people and government. Our people will remain
steadfast and we are sure that these sacrifices will not be
in vain." The Israeli military says it will investigate
the incident, while Hamas' military wing has pledged for the
first time in over a year to resume attacks against Israel.
The ongoing Israeli attacks on civilians in Gaza, with over
2400 artillery shells fired in the last month alone, combined
with an international blockade that has prevented food, medicine
and paychecks from reaching Palestinians, have made life for
Palestinians in the Occupied Territories reach a breaking
point. Saed Bannoura, FSRN, Beit Sahour, Palestine.
ADMISSIBLE EVIDENCE
A U.S. district judge has ruled that a confession allegedly
obtained by torture may be used as evidence in a terrorism
case to be held in Chicago. Shannon Heffernan has the story.
In the months leading up to the decision, the judge met with
Israeli soldiers to discuss their alleged use of torture during
the interrogation of Muhammad Salah. Salah, a U.S. citizen,
was arrested by Israeli soldiers in 1993 at a checkpoint leading
into the Gaza Strip. Israeli authorities say that Salah was
bringing funds to aid Hamas, which Israel considers a terrorist
organization. Salah says the money he was arrested with was
for humanitarian aid. The defense team was not allowed in
the meetings between the judge and the Israeli soldiers, allegedly
due to security concerns. Michael Deutch, Salah's defense
attorney says the decision sets two very dangerous precedents:
(actuality) "One, the use evidence obtained by torture
from a foreign government, and two accepting the allegations
of this, these tortures that is classified and having secret
proceedings where the public the press and even the defense
is not allowed to be present." Muhammad Salah spent 5
years in an Israeli prison before returning to his home in
a Chicago suburb. In 2004, the US government charged Salah
with aiding terrorists. The case will go to trial in October
of this year. For FSRN, I'm Shannon Heffernan in Chicago.
POLLS
An AP-Ipsos poll conducted Monday through Wednesday of this
week has found that 59 percent of those surveyed feel that
the war in Iraq is a mistake. The poll also found President
Bush's approval rating to be at 33 percent. Disapproval of
the way in which the president is handling the war in Iraq
is over 70 percent for: women, unmarried men, people of color,
city dwellers, and people from households earning less than
$25,000 a year.
NET NEUTRALITY
An amendment to ensure Internet neutrality was defeated yesterday
in the House of Representatives. The amendment was part of
a larger telecommunications bill known as the Communications,
Opportunity, Promotions and Enhancement Act, which aims to
ease government regulations and allow telephone companies
to enter into the cable industry. The COPE Act passed by a
large margin after the defeat of the amendment that would
have imposed strong government regulations to ensure that
Internet service providers give equal treatment to all Internet
traffic and websites; a concept known as "net neutrality".
The amendment's supporters fear the giant telecommunications
and cable companies will create a pay-based, two-tiered system
that website hosts will have to buy into. Service providers
said the amendment was unnecessary - arguing that the government
would be trying to regulate something that hasn't been problematic.
The amendment's sponsor, Rep. Ed Markey of Massachusetts said
that the vote would forever change the open and democratic
nature of Internet.
OIL SPILL IN GOA
Bad weather is preventing the clean up of a massive oil spill
on the shores of the Indian state of Goa. The spill has severely
affected marine life and local fishing communities. Gloria
Khamkar reports.
Fishing activity around the shoreline of Goa in India has
been badly affected for the last week and there is panic amongst
the fishermen, especially the marginal ones who go fishing
close to the shore and operate without the help of automatic
trawlers. Many dead fish have been washed ashore in the last
week after a Panamanian cargo vessel, Ocean Seraya, broke
into two parts in south Goa. The vessel had 650 metric tones
of furnace oil when it hit an island on its way to Karwar
port. Scientists and environmentalists are worried about the
long-term effects that might have on the aquatic life in the
region. For FSRN, I'm Gloria Khamkar in Pune, India.
EXECUTION UPDATE
Virginia governor, Tim Kaine, has issued a 6 month stay of
execution for Percy Walton, who was scheduled to die last
night for a 1996 triple homicide. Walton's attorneys say he
is insane and mentally retarded. Walton will face a mental
health evaluation before his new execution date.
[top]
Date For Palestinian Referendum (2:30)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to sign
a decree on Saturday setting the date of July 31 for a national
referendum that includes the question as to whether to recognize
Israel. However Hamas is warning that such a referendum will
split the people. Manar Jibreen has more.
[top]
Israeli PM Goes to Jordan (2:54)
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has just finished
a visit to the kingdom of Jordan where he attempted quell
Jordanian fears of Israel's potential plan of unilaterally
drawing its borders with Palestine. From Amman,Oula Farawati
has the story.
[top]
Delay's Last Remarks (0:47)
Last night former House Majority Leader Tom Delay gave his
final remarks on the House floor before retiring from Congress.
In his speech he hailed the conservative way, and called liberalism
- the wrong way, crediting himself with the rise of conservative
power in Congress. By the end of his 20 minute speech, most
democrats had stood up and walked out. Democrats are pushing
to keep his name on the November ballot in Texas.
[top]
House Approves Foreign Ops Bill (2:54)
Today the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved
a 22 billion dollar foreign operations bill which provides
2.3 billion dollars in military aid to Israel and another
1.3 billion in military aid to Egypt. However, the House rejected
an amendment to cut funding for WHINSEC, formerly known as
The School of the Americas that has been accused of training
Latin American military officers who have gone on to commit
war crimes. It also rejected an amendment to channel money
away from Columbia's drug fumigation operations to refugee
assistance. Leigh Ann Caldwell reports from Capitol Hill.
[top]
The World Cup & Sex Trafficking (4:32)
The World Cup begins in Germany today. As up to 3 million
soccer fans travel to the European nation, German officials
and human rights activists are turning their gaze towards
the issue of sex trafficking. The Parliamentary Assembly of
Europe estimates that between 30 and 60 thousand women will
be kidnaped, coerced or smuggled into Germany to serve as
sex-slaves during the World Cup period. Amnesty International
is currently staging a campaign along with other German NGO's
to bring awareness of the problem of trafficked women who
are sexually exploited. However, German sex workers say the
figures are being grossly exaggerated. Sex work has been legal
in Germany since 2002, and sex-workers say the media hype
is bad for business and represses migrant workers in the industry.
Cinnamon Nippard reports from Berlin.
[top]
Protesting A Mining Company (2:59)
In Colorado, activists gathered outside the annual shareholders
meeting of a mining and exploration company to protest the
companies mining activities in El Salvador. FSRN's Maeve Conran
reports from Denver.
[top]
White House's Neighbor Closes (3:07)
As Gentrification resulting from sky-rocketing real estate
markets continues to impact communities throughout the United
States, in Washington DC, the latest casualty to condominium
development is a homeless shelter just blocks from the White
House. FSRN's Darby Hickey reports.
[top]
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