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> Wed., Aug. 2, 2006
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
New White House Plan May Strip U.S. Citizens of Rights
EPA In the Spotlight over Chemical Regulations
Some Say Morocco’s Immigration Policies May Violate
Human Rights
Democratic Republic of Congo Still Awaiting Results
Tensions on the Rise in Jerusalem
FSRN Headlines
Israeli Prime Minister Says "Attacks will Continue"
As the Israeli military offensive against Lebanon has entered
its third week, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said today that
Israel will not stop its military campaign until an international
force is deployed along the southern Lebanese border. Jackson
Allers has more from Beirut.
Iraqi Forces to Take Over By End of 2006
A bomb blast killed at a football field in Baghdad killed
12 people today, most of them children. The attack comes just
one day after more than 50 people were killed yesterday across
the country. Meanwhile, today Iraqi President Jalal Talabani
announced during a press conference that Iraqi forces will
take over security from the US by the end of this year.
Investigation: Marines Likely Committed Massacre
A Navy investigation appears to confirm that US Marines massacred
about two dozen civilians, mostly women and children, in the
Iraqi town of Haditha. Yanmei Xie reports from Washington
DC.
Doubts on Pentagon's 9/11 Story
The Washington Post is reporting some former members of the
9/11 Commission concluded that the Pentagon's initial story
of how it reacted to the 2001 terrorist attacks may have been
part of a deliberate effort to mislead the commission and
the public. The Post reports suspicion of wrongdoing ran so
deep that the commission secretly debated referring the matter
to the Justice Department for criminal investigation. Staff
members and some commissioners thought that e-mails and other
evidence provided enough probable cause to believe that military
and aviation officials violated the law by making false statements
to Congress and to the commission, hoping to hide the bungled
response to the hijackings. In the end, the panel agreed to
a compromise, turning over the allegations to the inspectors
general for the Defense and Transportation departments, who
can make criminal referrals if they believe they are warranted.
Castro Feeling Fine
In a statement read on Cuban television, President Fidel Castro
said he is in stable condition and good spirits after surgery
to stop internal bleeding. On Monday Castro temporarily handed
power over much of the government to his brother Raul.
Mexico City Traffic Worse than Usual
Traffic was still at a halt for the 3rd day in a row in Mexico
City as supporters of center-left Presidential candidate Andres
Manuel Lopez Obrador blocked key streets in demanding a recount.
Preliminary results show conservative candidate Felipe Calderon
leading by just a half percentage point. Protesters have been
camped out for three days in the City's main square the Zocalo.
Calderon accused Lopez Obrador of taking the city hostage.
The country's electoral court has until the end of August
to rule on a recount.
Protecting Black Hills
In South Dakota the Black Hills Sioux Treaty Council is hosting
the Summit of Nations, in which more than forty delegations
are gathering in response to developers plan to build a massive
biker bar and concert venue to be located on 600 acres at
the base of Bear Butte It is the site where Chief Sitting
Bull gathered over 6,000 indigenous people in 1876 urging
them to defend the land. Indigenous rights activists Carter
Camp of the Poca Nation recently spoke at the 14th Protecting
Mother Earth Conference in Minnesota.
[top]
New White House Plan May Strip U.S. Citizens of
Rights (4:18)
A White House plan to try those accused of terrorism is
being circulated around Capitol Hill. According to White House
officials, the 32 page drafted plan, which is still being
discussed by the Department of Defense, the White House, and
Congressional officials, expands detainees rights but also
includes broad language that authorizes the indefinite detention
of U.S. citizens who are directly or indirectly linked to
terrorism. That would mean that U.S. citizens would loose
their rights as citizens and be denied access to civilian
courts. Controversy has erupted around the plan, with many
critics saying that it does not address the concerns of the
Supreme Court. FSRN’s Selina Musuta reports from Washington,
DC where the Judiciary and Armed Services Committee are holding
hearings to consider legislation that will decide the due
process and treatment of detainees.
[top]
EPA In the Spotlight over Chemical Regulations
(3:34)
The federal Environmental Protection Agency is in the spotlight
today, as a Congressional hearing and a statement by employees
unions focus on the Agency's handling of chemical regulations.
Additionally, the Government Accountability Office said today
that the EPA's current chemical review program is ineffective.
Darby Hickey reports from Washington DC.
[top]
Some Say Morocco’s Immigration Policies May
Violate Human Rights (4:16)
Morocco has long been a country of immigrants. Now it's
also become a transit point for immigrants from other African
countries trying to reach Europe: only a few miles separate
the coasts of Morocco and Spain. As Moroccan and neighboring
governments try to stem the tide, some critics say the efforts
to stop migration from poor African countries infringes on
the migrant’s human rights. Ursula Lindsay reports from
Rabat, Morocco.
[top]
Democratic Republic of Congo Still Awaiting Results
(3:04)
One of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s presidential
candidates is demanding a re-run of the elections in some
of the areas. Azarias Ruberwa says he will reject the result
of Sunday's historic election, adding that he’s witnessed
fraud at the polls. Counting of ballots for the presidential
and parliamentary elections continues in Africa’s largest
nation, and results of the first multiparty election in 40
years are not expected soon, due to the vastness of the country
and poor infrastructure. The weekend elections were aimed
at ending a long civil war, which has claimed the lives of
at least 3 million people. 32 candidates, including incumbent
Joseph Kabila and four vice-presidents who took office in
2003 under terms of a transitional power-sharing deal are
contesting for the presidency. Three of the four vice-presidents
are the leaders of former armed factions. Joshua Kyalimpa
reports from neighboring Uganda.
[top]
Tensions on the Rise in Jerusalem (2:59)
Tensions are high in the city of Jerusalem as fighting between
Hezbollah in Lebanon and Israel today reached new heights
- with Hezbollah firing 100 rockets farther into Israel than
previously thought possible - hitting targets more than 40
miles into Israel, and with Israeli forces pressing ahead
into Lebanon with a full-force air, ground, and sea attack.
The Israeli High Court rendered a decision that will step
up tension even further - deciding to allow Jewish extremists
into the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. FSRN’s Saed Bannoura
reports.
[top]
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