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> Wed., Aug. 13, 2006
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
Mixed Results On Domestic Spying
California Man Appeals Life Sentence For Lying To DMV
School District Leaves "No Child Left Behind Act"
Behind
Ugandan Rebels Hand Back Some Child Prisoners
Brazil and India Ink Trade Pact
Activists Murdered In El Salvador
FSRN Headlines
BLAIR CALLS FOR MORE NATO TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN
British Prime Minister Tony Blair today called on NATO members
to contribute 2,500 more troops to Afghanistan. Despite his
appeal, there is still no formal offer of help on the part
of member states. Naomi Fowler reports from London.
There are currently more than 18,500 mainly NATO soldiers
in Afghanistan and around the same number of US troops. But
this so-called 'war on terror' is becoming more protracted
and dangerous than many anticipated. Twenty-six British soldiers
have been killed in the past month in Afghanistan; top British
military figures have publicly denounced what they see as
the lack of commitment from other NATO member states to share
a burden they feel is disproportionately falling on the British
and Canadian military. Tony Blair made a personal appeal today:
'NATO is looking at what further requirements there are and
NATO and NATO countries have got a duty to respond to that,
the British forces are making their contribution.' But each
member state has differing rules of engagement and many have
always been less enthusiastic than the UK about the US's so-called
'war on terror' which began after the 9/11 attacks. This is
Naomi Fowler in London for Free Speech Radio News.
PRIMARY RESULTS
Nine states plus the District of Colombia held primary elections
yesterday. Senator Lincoln Chafee, a moderate Republican,
beat the more conservative Steve Laffey in the Rhode Island
primary. Even though he doesn't support the war in Iraq or
tax breaks, the Republican party supported Chafee as the more
moderate candidate to run in Rhode Island. In New York, Attorney
General Eliot Spitzer won the Democratic nomination for governor
and Senator Hillary Clinton defeated an opponent with an anti-war
stance. As for Maryland, Representative Ben Cardin leads the
polls over former NAACP leader, Kweisi Mfume for the Democratic
party nomination for a seat in the Senate. The winner of the
Democratic primary in Minnesota could be the first Muslim-American
elected to Congress. State representative Keith Ellison will
run in a Democratic district and is favored to win the general
election.
NEW REGULATIONS ON PARTICULATE MATTER
The American Lung Association has just released a report slamming
new standards for dust and soot pollution that the Environmental
Protection Agency is expected to finalize later this month.
From KPFA in Berkeley, Brian Edwards-Tiekert has more:
The Environmental Protection Agency is under a court order
that requires new limits on dust and soot in the air by the
end of this month. Since EPA set the current standard in 1997,
more than 2000 peer-reviewed studies have been published on
the health effects of fine particulate matter--many show it
does damage at levels well below the current standard. Janice
Nolan is National Policy Director for the American Lung Association:
(Sound). The proposed rules also contain controversial language
that exempts mining and agriculture from regulation.The Environmental
Protection Agency is required to announce a final decision
by September 27. I'm Brian Edwards-Tiekert for Free Speech
Radio News.
OIL WORKERS STRIKE IN NIGERIA
Nigerian oil workers are on a three-day warning strike to
protest growing insecurity in the country's oil-rich Niger
Delta region. Sam Olukoya reports from Lagos.
Officials from Nigeria's two oil workers unions say the strike
has been effective. The loading of crude oil for export from
some of Nigeria's terminals has been suspended. The oil workers
hope the strike will force the government to address the growing
insecurity situation oil workers face in the Niger Delta.
In recent months, militants demanding a share of the regions
oil wealth have kidnaped more than forty foreign oil workers.
The oil workers unions and government officials have been
holding meetings aimed at ending the strike in Africa's top
oil exporter. Workers have threatened to embark on an indefinite
strike if the government does not take measures to guarantee
their security in the Niger Delta. For Free Speech Radio News,
this is Sam Olukoya in Lagos.
DURBAN SHACK DWELLERS
Members of an organized movement of poor tenets of shack settlements
in Durban, South Africa were attacked last night by police.
Na'eem Jeenah reports from Johannesburg.
[top]
Mixed Results On Domestic Spying (3:53)
Mixed results today in Bush Administration's quest to get
Congressional approval for domestic surveillance of US residents.
The Senate moved one step closer and the House of Representatives
pulled the bill from the agenda for the time being. From Washington,
FSRN's Leigh Ann Caldwell reports.
[top]
California Man Appeals Life Sentence For Lying To
DMV (4:37)
A California immigrant serving a life sentence for lying
to the Department of Motor Vehicles got a day in court today.
Santos Reyes has already served six years for that crime,
which he has never denied. … Host Aaron Glantz reports.
[top]
School District Leaves "No Child Left Behind
Act" Behind (3:13)
The stiff requirements of the No Child Left Behind law have
caused consternation in school districts across the country.
Some districts have even opted not to comply, which can mean
a loss of federal funding. One tiny school district on the
plains of Colorado has gone a step further and voted to make
up the difference out of their own pockets. Eric Mack reports.
[top]
Ugandan Rebels Hand Back Some Child Prisoners
(3:00)
Rebels in Northern Uganda were to begin handing over captured
women and children this week. Female and child prisoners reportedly
served as soldiers, porters, and sex slaves in the Lords Resistance
army during groups 20 year campaign against Uganda's central
government. The LRA is believed to be holding thousands of
children in captivity. … Joshua Kyalimpa reports.
[top]
Brazil and India Ink Trade Pact (2:24)
Brazil and India pledged to bring a new global order today
-- one that's gives countries in the Third World more clout
in international affairs. The statements came as Indian Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh paid a visit to Brazil, inking a series
of trade deals involving technology and alternative energy
development. Binu Alex has the story.
[top]
Activists Murdered In El Salvador (2:43)
The murder of two political activists is shaking El Salvador.
The government denies the killings have anything to do with
politics, but community organizations point out the victims
were tortured the same way government-backed paramilitaries
did during the civil war in the 1980s. This is the first time
since a peace accord was signed in 1992 that such a murder
has been recorded. From San Salvador, Ricardo Martinez reports.
[top]
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