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> Tue., Aug. 1, 2006
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
Castro Temporarily Hands Over Power
Attacks Continue in Gaza
No End to Violence in Baghdad
Dems Off the Fence on Iraq?
National Guard to Stay in New Orleans, Louisiana
Curfew In Washington DC
FSRN Headlines
EXPANDED GROUND WAR IN LEBANON
A 48-hour cessation of Israeli air attacks in Lebanon has
been replaced by heavy bombardment of civilian areas along
the southern Lebanese border. The Israeli military is preparing
for what appears will be a massive ground invasion to extend
as far as 18 miles into Lebanon. 3 Israeli soldiers and 6
Hezbollah guerrillas were reportedly killed today in fighting
along the common border. Jackson Allers has more from Beirut.
The brief cessation of violence allowed rescue workers an
opportunity to get to villages in southern Lebanon to retrieve
the bodies of at least 90 people killed in Israeli air strikes
and artillery barrages over the last 21 days. It also allowed
thousands of refugees trapped by the Israeli military offensive
to stream north to relative safety – humanitarian sources
say that more than 25% of the Lebanese population has been
displaced – or about 800 thousand people. Images from
BBC and Al-Jazeera television showed hundreds of Israeli tanks
and armored personnel carriers amassed along the northern
Israeli border – a precursor to what Israeli Prime Minister
Ehud Olmert said would be a 10-day to 2-week ground offensive
to push Hezbollah back to the Litani River – a symbolic
dividing line between north and south Lebanon. Meanwhile,
the Lebanese government says that over 750 civilians have
been killed since Israel launched its military offensive against
Lebanon to retrieve two soldiers captured by Hezbollah in
a military raid on July 12. At least 52 Israeli's have been
killed by Hezbollah rocket fire. Reporting from Beirut, this
is Jackson Allers for Free Speech Radio News.
SOMALI POLITICIANS RESIGN
High-ranking figures from Somalia's weak central government
continue to leave office. Four cabinet ministers resigned
today. A total of 22 politicians have stepped down since last
week.
KASHMIRI HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSIONER RESIGNS
In Indian-administered Kashmir, the Chairman of the State
Human Rights Commission has stepped down, in protest of what
he called government apathy and rising incidents of human
rights violations in the region. Shahnawaz Khan has more.
In his resignation sent Monday to the Governor of Indian
Administered Kashmir, Justice A.M. Mir said that the government's
constant refusal to implement recommendations was what led
him to step down as the Head of State Human Rights Commission
or SHRC. Mir, who took over as the SHRC head two years ago,
called the Commission an ineffective body. Mir wrote in is
resignation letter that of the more than 500 recommendations
made to the state government since October of 2003, not a
single one had been implemented. The SHRC records and tracks
human rights violations in Kashmir. Most complaints are against
Indian troops. The body has been described as "toothless"
as it has no direct powers to punish the erring personnel.
After his resignation, Mir told a local newspaper that government
was not serious in maintaining human rights of people and
the State Human Rights Commission was just a way to fool the
international community into believing that there is respect
for the human rights of Kashmiris. For FSRN, I'm Shahnawaz
Khan.
INDO-PAK PEACE TALKS TO RESUME
The foreign secretaries of Pakistan and India have promised
to re-open peace talks for the first time since the attacks
on Mumba's rail network. Vinod K. Jose reports.
High-ranking officials from both sides met informally yesterday
at a regional conference in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The Indian
and Pakistani foreign secretaries said that peace talks would
resume soon, after suffering a setback following the July
11th Mumbai blasts. In a joint press conference, Indian Foreign
Secretary Shyam Saran and Pakistan's Riaz Mohammad Khan told
reporters that the two sides had agreed to share available
information in connection with the Mumbai train bombings.
The attacks killed over 200 rush-hour commuters. India suspects
that militants based in Pakistan planned the blasts. Peace
talks between the two nuclear rivals began in January of 2004,
but little headway has been made towards the resolution of
the claim both countries have over the divided territory of
Kashmir. Although both sides announced willingness to resume
their dialogue, they did not set a date for the next round
of bi-lateral talks. From New Delhi in India this is Vinod
K. Jose.
CORRECTION
And finally, a correction to a headline broadcast on Monday.
In a story about Friday's fatal shooting at the Jewish Federation
of Greater Seattle, our reporter mistakenly identified suspected
gunman Naveed Haq as Palestinian. Haq's family is originally
from Pakistan.
[top]
Castro Temporarily Hands Over Power (4:20)
Cuban leader Fidel Castro has temporarily handed power to
his brother Raul Castro due to illness. A statement written
by President Castro and read on TV by his personal secretary
said the leader had undergone surgery to halt internal bleeding.
Castro, who turns 80 this month, said a punishing schedule
in recent weeks had affected his health. It is the first time
Castro has relinquished power since the Cuban revolution.
Fidel Castro has been among the world's longest-ruling leaders
- outlasting nine US presidents. Fidel recently spoke at the
People's Summit in Cordoba Argentina. This clip was made available
by FSRN correspondent Marie Trigona. The news of Fidel's health
and temporary hand over of power prompted scenes of celebration
on the streets of Miami on Monday. We're on the line by FSRN
correspondent who covers Cuba Joseph Muti.
[top]
Attacks Continue in Gaza (3:04)
While a good portion of the Israeli army has been called
up to the 'northern front' in Lebanon, a large number of soldiers
remain in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and have imposed a
full closure on both areas, blocking passage for Palestinians
at the 700 checkpoints in place in the West Bank, and preventing
ambulances from reaching hospitals, as well as maintaining
a full closure on the Gaza Strip. Saed Bannoura reports from
Palestine.
[top]
No End to Violence in Baghdad (3:37)
The Iraqi military, backed by 3,500 US troops launched Operation
Big Baghdad today as bombings and shootings killed at least
58 people including at least 23 Iraqi soldiers. … The
Iraqi army said a roadside bomb attack on a bus filled with
troops north of Baghdad killed at least 23. In Baghdad, itself
a suicide bomber targeted soldiers collecting their salaries
from a bank and as many as 14 people died. In the Northern
oil city of Kirkuk, violence is also on the rise. As FSRN's
Aaron Glantz and Salam Talib report there's been an almost
daily parade of car bombings and political assassinations.
[top]
Dems Off the Fence on Iraq? (3:30)
After a long period of ambivalence, the Democratic Congressional
leadership is at last forming a unified position on Iraq that
includes a withdrawal. Minority leaders Senator Harry Reid
and Representative Nancy Pelosit have sent a letter to President
Bush urging a change in policy on Iraq and for a troop withdrawal
to begin by the end of the year. Meanwhile, the Iraq debate
is taking center stage in crafting of the military budget.
Selina Musuta reports from Capitol Hill.
[top]
National Guard to Stay in New Orleans, Louisiana
(2:46)
The murder rate in New Orleans continues to rise despite
the continued presence of national guard and state police.
In the month of July there were twenty-three murders in the
city and Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco is saying troops
will remain in the city past their September withdrawal date.
Christian Roselund has more.
[top]
Curfew In Washington DC (3:01)
Following several high profile murders, the DC government
has enacted several anti-crime emergency measures including
placing closed circuit surveillance cameras in neighborhoods
and a 10PM curfew for youth under age 16. Ingrid Drake reports
from DC on the communities' response.
[top]
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