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> Thur., July. 20, 2006
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
Kofi Annan Calls for Immediate Ceasefire in the Middle East
Senate Debates Voting Rights Act Reauthorization
Survey Results Indicate Political Interference with FDA Science
Nail Salon Workers Organizing in California
New Dam Brings Hope in Aral Sea Region
FSRN Headlines
LEBANON
Israeli ground troops joined heavy missile and artillery barrages
in Southern Lebanon today, in what was the 9th day of Israel's
military offensive to root out Hezbollah fighters firing missiles
and rockets into Israel. According to official sources, at
least 306 Lebanese have been killed since Hezbollah captured
two Israeli soldiers last Wednesday. 29 Israeli's have been
killed by Hezbollah rocket and missile attacks, including
14 soldiers, according to Israeli sources. With no end in
sight to the hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, dissent
is rising within the Lebanese government. Jackson Allers reports
from Beirut.
Today, Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora denied a report
by an Italian newspaper that claimed that he called for an
immediate disarmament of Hezbollah. In a carefully worded
press release, Sanoira said that the "the international
community had not given the Lebanese government an opportunity
to deal with the problem of Hezbollah`s arms." However,
the social Affairs Minister Nayla Moawad said said today in
a press conference that she believed that Hezbollah was taking
orders from Iran. When asked whether the Lebanese government
had proof of Hezbollah's involvement with Iran in their latest
military campaign against Israel, Social Affairs Minister
Moawad said that "there was no proof" but that she
and other Lebanese ministers shared this opinion. Meanwhile,
the Lebanese government has come under increasing international
pressure to reign in Hezbollah. But internal divisions within
the government continue to hamper the process of negotiation
with Hezbollah. A government official told FSRN that it has
not entered into direct negotiations with Hezbollah on the
hostilities despite the fact that Hezbollah is officially
a part of the government. Reporting from Beirut, this is Jackson
Allers for Free Speech Radio News.
GAZA
Israeli forces continue to pound various parts of the Gaza
Strip for the third consecutive week. FSRN correspondent Rami
Almeghari reports from the Maghazi refugee camp - an area
that has born the brunt of the attacks in the past two days.
PHILIPPINES
The Philippine military's inspector general has recommended
the court martial of 40 officers and 125 soldiers for their
alleged involvement in a foiled coup plot in February. The
officers and soldiers have already been relieved from their
posts and placed under the custody of their service commanders
while undergoing pre-trial investigation. Girlie Linao reports
from Manila.
Armed forces Inspector General Rear Admiral Rufino Lopez
today said the rogue officers and soldiers allegedly planned
to seize President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as well as top
military and police officials as part of the coup plot in
February. Lopez, who headed a military investigation into
the February 24 coup attempt, said the plot failed because
the mutineers did not have time to gather forces before their
plan was exposed. He said he believed that all 40 officers
and 125 soldiers must face court martial for mutiny, sedition
and other violations of the Articles of War. However, it is
the Judge Advocate General's Office that would hand down the
final decision after a pre-trial investigation. The military
proceedings come as Philippine authorities widen their investigation
into the foiled attempt to oust Arroyo to include civilians
who allegedly provided financial and material support for
the plot. For Free Speech Radio News, I'm Girlie Linao in
Manila.
UGANDA
Peace talks between the government of Uganda and the LRA rebels
continue in the Southern Sudanese city of Juba. Emmanuel Okella
has the latest.
The rebels came to the negotiating table with two-pages of
demands for a ceasefire as the first step towards ending the
20-year conflict in northern Uganda. The rebels are asking
Kampala to declare safe corridors in the Northern Uganda districts
of Gulu and Kitgum to allow free movement of their fighters
to designated areas for demobilization. The Ugandan negotiators
have rejected the ceasefire call. Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, head
of the Ugandan team, told reporters that the rebel ceasefire
proposal had been rejected because of the way the LRA had
violated past truces. He said that while government also wants
a cessation of hostilities, a ceasefire deal would only come
after everything else has been concluded. Despite this, Rugunda
was quick to stress that talks would continue. For Free Speech
Radio News Emmanuel Okella reporting from Kampala Uganda.
GEORGIA
A resolution passed this week by the Georgian Parliament has
instructed the government to prepare for the immediate suspension
of Russian peacekeeping operations in the conflict zones of
Abkhazia and South Ossetia. It is the latest step in the deterioration
of Georgian-Russian relations. Deborah Wild reports from Tbilisi:
Georgian authorities accuse the Russian peacekeepers of violating
their mandate by supplying arms to separatist forces in Abkhazia
and South Ossetia, and Russia of attempting to permanently
annex Georgian territory. Georgia wants to internationalize
the peacekeeping operations. Russia's role in the conflict
regions has been cited as a reason for Georgia not to support
their neighbor's accession to the World-Trade-Organization.
This is the sixth resolution by the Georgian legislature requesting
the withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers. The implementation
of the resolution is up to President Mikheil Saakashvili and
he has announced not to make a decision until after a meeting
with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of
an informal CIS Summit in Moscow at the end of the week. For
Free Speech Radio News, I'm Deborah Wild in Tbilisi, Georgia.
[top]
Kofi Annan Calls for Immediate Ceasefire in the
Middle East (3:48)
UN Secretary Kofi Annan called for an immediate ceasefire
in the Middle East, while plans for a lasting peace are implemented.
Annan addressed a bitterly divided UN Security Council, a
group which shows no signs of coming to an agreement. FSRN's
Washington Editor, Leigh Ann Caldwell, reports.
[top]
Senate Debates Voting Rights Act Reauthorization
(3:48)
President Bush spoke before the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored Peoples (NAACP) annual national
convention for the first time ever today. Since taking office
six years ago, Bush repeatedly declined invitations to speak
before the membership of the nation's largest civil rights
organization. However, with parts of the 1965 Voting Rights
Act set to be reauthorized by Congress this year, Bush accepted.
Coincidentally, the Senate took an unexpected look at the
Voting Rights Act today. FSRNs Selina Musuta reports on Senates
vote.
[top]
Survey Results Indicate Political Interference with
FDA Science (3:42)
The Union of Concerned Scientists revealed the findings
of a survey today, that indicate what they say is the pervasive
and dangerous political influence of science at the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA). According to the survey, nearly
one-fifth of the nearly 1,000 FDA scientists who responded
said they have been asked, for non-scientific reasons, to
inappropriately exclude or alter technical information or
their conclusions in a FDA scientific document. Joining us
on the line to discuss the implications of the survey findings
is Francesca Grifo, shes the Senior Scientist and Director
of the Union of Concerned Scientists Scientific Integrity
Program.
[top]
Nail Salon Workers Organizing in California (4:31)
The California Dept of Consumer Affairs issued new safety
recommendations for foot spas last month. Consumers benefit
- but a coalition of advocates, nail salon workers and salon
owners are speaking out for worker health and safety rights.
The group won a victory with the recent passage of SB 484,
the Safe Cosmetics Act, which for the first time, requires
manufacturers to disclose toxic ingredients in their products.
The law takes effect in January 2007. As advocates push for
chemical policy reforms, the group focuses on outreach to
nail salon workers and consumers. Ngoc Nguyen has the story.
[top]
New Dam Brings Hope in Aral Sea Region (3:37)
The Aral Sea has been shrinking for more than forty years,
dragging neighboring villages in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan
into poverty. But, as Severine Bardon reports from Kazakhstan,
a recently built dam is bringing hope back to the region.
[top]
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