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> Fri., Aug. 22, 2006
FSRN
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
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Today's lead stories:
Code Pink Descends on Capitol Hill
It’s Time for Back to School for Iraqi Children
Bush And Republicans Strike Deal on Torture
Turkey Makes New Move Against the PKK
Israel Launches New Attacks on Gaza Strip
Chinese and Indian Investments Aiding Sub-Saharan Africa
FSRN Headlines
SMALL VENDORS BLOCKADE STREETS IN DELHI
Clashes erupted in Delhi today, when police arrested over
150 small business owners for protesting against the demolitions
of their shops. Vinod K. Jose reports.
Shutters down. Vehicles stopped. Stones pelted at government
vehicles. Over 200,000 small and medium traders began blockading
Delhi streets 2 days ago. They are protesting the mass sealing
and demolition of commercial properties. Angry business owners
brought the city to a standstill. Police opened fire on the
protesting vendors, killing 4. Today police arrested over
150 small traders for protesting against shop demolitions.
Many see the demolition of small-scale commercial property
by the Delhi civic body as a significant step towards the
takeover of India's retail market place by multinational corporations.
From New Delhi in India this is Vinod Jose.
MUSHARRAF IN WASHINGTON
President Bush met with Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf
today amidst allegations that a U.S. official threatened to
attack Pakistan if it did not cooperate in the war on terror.
Nan McCurdy has more from Washington DC.
In an interview to air Sunday, on CBS-TV's "60 Minutes"
program, Pakistan's President Musharraf said that after Sept.
11, 2001, then-Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage,
told Pakistan's intelligence director that the United States
would bomb his country if it didn't help fight terrorists.
In the interview, Musharraf said Armitage told his intelligence
director `Be prepared to go back to the Stone Age.' Bush met
today with the Pakistani president and is planning to meet
on Tuesday with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in an attempt
to smooth out a dispute between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Afghan officials allege that Pakistan is not doing enough
to stop cross border attacks by Taliban militants hiding out
in Pakistan. Pakistan denies the accusation and says it's
doing all it can to battle extremists. President Bush said
this week that he would "absolutely" order military
operations inside Pakistan if Osama bin Laden were found to
be hiding there. From Washington DC, for Free Speech Radio
News, I'm Nan McCurdy.
DISAGREEMENT OVER TERMS OF PALESTINIAN NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT
The Palestinian Prime Minister has again rejected the notion
of recognizing Israel, but has offered a long term truce.
Manar Jibrin reports from Bethlehem.
In his speech yesterday to the United Nations general assembly,
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that any Palestinian
National Unity government will recognize Israel. Prime Minister
Ismaiel Haneya responded today that his movement will not
recognize Israel, but will instead accept the 1967 borders
and offer Israel a long-term truce. Both President Mahmoud
Abbas and Prime Minister Ismaiel Haneya had agreed earlier
to form a national unity government but it was put on hold
until President Abbas returns from his visit to the United
States. Israeli government rejected the Prime Minister's proposal
saying that what it will not proceed with any negotiations
with the Palestinian national unity government until it and
the Hamas movement abide to the international conditions,
which include recognizing Israel, renouncing violence and
acceptance of the previously signed peaces agreements with
Israel.
SECTARIAN VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA
Authorities in Nigeria have imposed a curfew after Muslim
youths burned down ten churches in the country's predominantly
Muslim north. Sam Olukoya reports from Lagos.
The sectarian violence broke out in Dutse, the capital of
Jigawa State, following an allegedly blasphemous comment on
Prophet Mohammed by a Christian woman. The woman was reportedly
reacting to a similarly uncomplimentary remark a local Muslim
man made against Jesus Christ. Although no life was lost,
several people were injured during the multiple church arsons.
Christian leaders in the area have reacted angrily, saying
there is no justification for the violence. Nigeria's long
history of sectarian violence between Christians and Muslims
has claimed thousands of lives in recent years. In the wake
of anger in the Muslim world over comments made by the Pope,
Nigerian authorities have been very cautious about a religious
crisis. Months back, Muslims in northern Nigeria attacked
their Christian counterparts following a Danish newspaper's
publication of a cartoon portrayal of the Prophet Mohammad.
For Free Speech Radio News, this is Sam Olukoya in Lagos.
FORMER HEAD OF PERUVIAN INTELLIGENCE CONVICTED
A court in Lima has handed down another prison sentence for
the former head of Peru's intelligence agency. Pamela Cuevas
reports.
After a ten hour hearing yesterday, Peru's First Anti-corruption
Court sentenced former intelligence chief, Vladimiro Montesinos,
to 20 years in prison. Montesinos had been charged with illegally
supplying weapons to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
- or FARC - and with criminal association that put national
security at risk. Montesinos, who was once a very close advisor
of ex-president Alberto Fujimori, is already serving time
in prison for bribing media owners with public money. The
20-year sentence and 3 million dollar fine handed down yesterday
is the most severe punishment that he has received until now.
Montesinos will soon face another trial on charges of directing
a paramilitary unit during Fujimori´s government. For
FSRN, I'm Pamela Cuevas with Alfredo Cuadras in Lima.
[top]
Code Pink Descends on Capitol Hill (2:55)
Pink is for Power. That's the message of a group women activists,
who marched through Capitol Hill today – wearing pink
and saying their power will be felt in November. FSRN’s
Yanmei Xie has the story.
[top]
It’s Time for Back to School for Iraqi Children
(3:36)
Residents of the religiously mixed Hurriya district in northwest
Baghdad clashed mid-morning today with gunmen who set two
houses on fire. Firefighters were ambushed when they came
to tackle the blazes. The Associated Press reports the conflict
started when Shi'ite militia-men killed four people in an
attack on Sunni homes, and then opened fire on two Sunni mosques
during the Muslim Sabbath. The Sunni association cancelled
all public prayers in the area in response to the violence.
All of this is occurring as Iraqi children return to classrooms
for the new school year. FSRN's Aaron Glantz and Salam Talib
have the story.
[top]
Bush And Republicans Strike Deal on Torture
(1:45)
President Bush and some dissenting Republicans in the Senate
have reached a compromise agreement on the interrogation and
trials of detainees held in U.S. custody. The deal, struck
yesterday, is seen as crucial for the GOP’s unity ahead
of November’s mid-term elections. FSRN’s Leigh
Ann Caldwell reports.
[top]
Turkey Makes New Move Against the PKK (3:26)
The United States, Turkey and Iraq appointed coordinators
last week to fight against the PKK, the armed Kurdish workers'
party. The move indicates a new turn for the Turkish government
in its fight against the PKK - and creates more anxiety about
the future Kurds in Middle East. Ozlem Sariyildiz reports.
[top]
Israel Launches New Attacks on Gaza Strip
(2:35)
Five Palestinians were killed in separate Israeli attacks
on both the northern and southern parts of the Gaza Strip
yesterday – two of them bled to death in Rafa, as Israeli
forces prevented ambulances from reaching them. Seven Palestinians
were wounded in the attack. The attacks came just a couple
of days after Israeli Army Chief Dan Haluts hinted at the
possibility of fully invading the Gaza Strip due to concerns
of possible weapons smuggling tunnels in the Rafah area. FSRN’s
Rami Almeghari reports from Gaza.
[top]
Chinese and Indian Investments Aiding Sub-Saharan
Africa (4:13)
An increase in trade and investment between China, India
and Africa holds great potential for growth and job creation
in the poverty-stricken sub-Sahara. The West African country
of Senegal, one the poorest countries in the world, has chosen
to strengthen economic ties with the two Asian countries.
Ndiaga Seck reports from Senegal.
[top]
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