Home > Programs
> FSRN
> Wed., June. 14, 2006
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
Thanks to FSRN.org
for making the daily programs available to Pacifica.org
Today's lead stories:
Lawmakers Prepare for Full Day of Debate on Iraq War
Iraqi and US Soldiers Deployed in “Operation Forward
Together”
Deadly Police Crackdown in Oaxaca
FEMA’s Lack of Oversights May Have Led to Waste and
Fraud
Court Hears Challenge to Biological Weapons Testing
Canadian Court Hears Challenge to Controversial Security Certificates
Community of Andean States Gathers for Extraordinary Session
FSRN Headlines
SOMALIA
The militias of the Islamic court alliance who recently seized
the Somali capital, Mogadishu, captured the town of Jowhar
the remaining stronghold of militias of the secular, anti
terrorism alliance. Joshua Kyalimpa reports.
The town of Jowhar fell to the militia loyal to the Union
of Islamic courts without much resistance after warlords widely
reported to have been backed by the US, fled north towards
El Bur in the central Somali region of Galgudud. One person
was reportedly killed during the fighting the defeated warlords
had controlled Mogadishu for 15 years, but they have become
unpopular following the growing influence of the Islamists.
On Tuesday, East African countries imposed sanctions, including
a travel ban and asset freeze on the warlords. The Union of
Islamic Courts attack on Jowhar from the north has come as
a surprise, as the Islamic fighters have been camped to the
south and the fall of the town is a big boost to the Islamists
because it is where the airport is based. Meanwhile, the Somali
parliament, based in Baidoa because the capital, (250km away)
is too dangerous, is debating whether to ask the African Union
to send troops into Mogadishu. The US-backed Somalia Contact
Group will meet tomorrow in New York to discuss the situation
in the horn of Africa country. Joshua Kyalimpa FSRN, Kampala.
JORDANIAN DEPUTIES ARRESTED
Jordan's military prosecutor has charged four Islamists parliamentarians
with inciting sectarianism by paying their condolences to
the family of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Oula Farawati reports
from Amman.
According to the prosecutor, the deputies, who are members
of the Islamic Action Front political party were charged with
fueling national discord. IAF deputies Mohammad Abu Fares,
Jaafar Horani, Ali Abu Sukkar and Ibrahim Mashukhi were ordered
held 15 days on Monday by the military prosecution. Judicial
sources have said the four could be jailed between six months
to three years and fined $700. The IAF said the visit was
a personal decision and that detaining them was a breach of
civil freedoms. In Amman, Jordan, I am Oula Farawati reporting
for FSRN.
PALESTINIAN WORKERS STORM PARLIAMENT
Several Palestinian employees broke into the building of the
Palestinian Legislative council today during a parliamentary
session in the West Bank city of Ramallah in protest of unpaid
salaries. Manar Jibrin reports.
A middle east Quartet meeting scheduled for today had been
expected to approve urgent measures to free up funds to pay
Palestinian salaries. However, the United States, which is
a party to the Quartet, recently canceled the talks. Salaries
have not been paid to Palestinian civil servants since the
Hamas-led government came to power in January and the European
Union has been urgently trying to work out a payment system
that would ease the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian
territories. The US has stopped aid from being channeled through
Arab banks by warning them of possible penalties. On Tuesday,
Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Israel will decide
whether to release tens of millions of dollars of Palestinian
money, generated through tax revenues that have been withheld
since the election of Hamas, into the international aid plan
to Palestinians once the plan is completed. For FSRN from
IMEMC.org in Palestine I am Manar Jibrin.
MINIMUM WAGE
In the US, a House committee voted to increase the minimum
wage to $7.25 over the next couple of years. Proponents cheered
the vote, but passage in the entire House of Representatives
is unlikely. Many Republicans believe an increase in the minimum
wage would hurt businesses. The federal rate of 5.15 an hour
has not been raised in nearly 10 years. Meanwhile, the House
supported giving themselves a 3 percent raise this year, making
their salary nearly 170,000 per year.
SOUTH CENTRAL FARM UPDATE
(ambient sound) Hundreds of South Central Farmers and their
supporters continued their nightly vigil, despite the Sheriff's
eviction yesterday of supporters camped out on the 14-acre
urban farm. All 44 people arrested yesterday have since been
released on bail. They will face civil disobedience misdemeanor
charges. Most of them returned to the Farm's perimeter for
last night's vigil. Samuel, who was taken to a hospital after
this arrest, says the Sheriffs strategically barred the media
from documenting what happened. (Samuel_clip) The Farmers
attended a City Hall meeting today, demanding Council member
Jan Perry support the continuing effort to save the South
Central Farm.
[top]
Lawmakers Prepare for Full Day of Debate on Iraq
War (3:53)
After returning from his surprise visit to Iraq, President
Bush said at a press conference today that politics are not
forcing his hand on the war in Iraq. Bush said he’s
"…going to make decisions not based upon politics
but based upon what's best for the United States of America."
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives is preparing for a
full day of debate on the Iraq War tomorrow. But as Leigh
Ann Caldwell reports, some members might not participate,
saying the resolution they are forced to debate is misguided
and politically motivated.
[top]
Iraqi and US Soldiers Deployed in “Operation
Forward Together” (2:16)
Iraqi authorities imposed a curfew in the capital last night,
hoping to stem the tide of violence that seems to continue
unabated. No one is allowed outside from 9 PM until 6 in the
morning, and cars will be banned from the roads during Friday
prayer. In the aftermath of President Bush's visit to Baghdad,
up to 75,000 Iraqi and US soldiers using tanks and armored
vehicles are being deployed across Baghdad in maneuvers code-named
"Operation Forward Together". FSRN's Aaron Glantz
and Salam Talib report.
[top]
Deadly Police Crackdown in Oaxaca (2:35)
Six weeks after the brutal police raid on the town of San
Salvador Atenco, and less than 3 weeks from the presidential
elections, Mexico has once again witnessed a brutal crackdown
against social movements - this time in the capital city of
the southern state of Oaxaca. Vladimir Flores reports.
[top]
FEMA’s Lack of Oversights May Have Led to Waste
and Fraud (2:21)
A subcommittee of the House Committee on Homeland Security
heard testimony today regarding waste and fraud related to
money given to survivors of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. As
FSRN's Darby Hickey reports, testimony at the hearing revealed
that the lack of oversight within the Federal Emergency Management
Agency may have resulted in over a billion dollars lost in
waste and fraud.
[top]
Court Hears Challenge to Biological Weapons Testing
(3:17)
A panel of three Federal Judges in San Francisco heard argument
for and against allowing Lawrence Livermore Laboratory in
California, to test advanced biological weapons without a
full environmental impact report. Critics say the government
has whitewashed the plan’s hazards, but the government
contends its environmental assessment was thorough, and the
plan is safe. Ed Rippy reports.
[top]
Canadian Court Hears Challenge to Controversial Security
Certificates (3:36)
In Ottawa, Canada, hearings at the Supreme Court continued
today to rule on the constitutionality of Canada's controversial
Security Certificates; a measure that allows authorities to
indefinitely detain any non-citizen suspected of being a threat
to national security under secret evidence, and without access
to a fair trial. Aaron Lakoff has more from Montreal.
[top]
Community of Andean States Gathers for Extraordinary
Session (2:42)
The Presidents of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia met
yesterday in Quito, for an extraordinary session of the Community
of the Andean Nations (CAN), to evaluate its status in the
region after Venezuela left the group. Diletta Varlese reports.
[top]
|
Listen
to the show 
Help
stream
download
