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> Tue., Nov. 28, 2006
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Today's lead stories:
Pilot of Downed F-16 Missing in Iraq
Bush Pressed on Iraq
Justice Department Begins Internal Investigation
South-South Summit Kicks Off in Nigeria
Venezuelan Voters Prepare to Vote in Presidential Election
Struggle to Keep Urban Aboriginal Heartland in Indigenous
Hands
Kashmiris Protest Selling of Land for Tourism
FSRN Headlines
POPE VISITS TURKEY
Pope Benedict XVI began a four-day visit to Turkey today amidst
a heavy security operation. This is the first time the Pope
has visited a predominately Muslim nation since making comments
in September, linking the spread of Islam to violence. The
papal visit also comes as Turkey continues to negotiate membership
in the European Union.
ETHIOPIAN TROOPS IN SOMALI SHOOTOUT
In other news, Fighters of the Union of Islamic Courts and
Ethiopian forces have exchanged mortar shells and artillery
fire today in central Somalia. Abdurahman Warsameh reports
from Mogadishu.
Mohamood Agoweine, an Islamist officer in Galkayo, told Mogadishu's
Shabelle Radio that the exchange of mortar shells lasted 30
minutes and alleged that the Ethiopians started shelling first.
There are no reports of casualties on either side. The Ethiopian
and Islamist forces in Galkayo, central Somalia, are less
than 5 km away from one another. Thousands of people demonstrated
in Mogadishu today against Ethiopian military intervention.
People were also protesting against an American plan to partially
lift the arms embargo against Somalia so that peacekeeping
troops could be deployed in the Horn of African nation, a
move strongly opposed by the Islamists, who threatened they
would call in international Islamic jihadists to come and
fight if the UN arms embargo is lifted. Islamists have accused
the United States government of backing the move in order
to provoke a regional war in Somalia. For FSRN, I am Abdurahman
Warsameh in Mogadishu, Somalia.
DR CONGO SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS KABILA WIN
The Supreme Court of the Democratic Republic of Congo today
upheld the outcome of the country's recent run-off election.
Joshua Kyalimpa reports.
The DRC'S Supreme Court ruled that incumbent Joseph Kabila
was the winner in the country's presidential election. The
court has rejected a legal challenge by the losing candidate,
Jean-Pierre Bemba, thereby paving the way for Kabila's swearing-in
as the first democratically-elected president of the mineral-rich
nation since its independence in 1960. The capital, Kinshasha,
is reportedly calm. Recent electoral disputes had led to street
clashes in the capital between forces loyal to the 2 candidates.
Former rebel leader Jean pierre Bemba became Kabila's Vice
President, in accordance with a peace deal that ended fighting
in DR Congo. Meanwhile, in the East of the country, United
Nations peacekeepers have regained control of the town of
Sake in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo after heavy clashes
with forces Loyal to a renegade army general Laurent Nkunda.
Thousands of civilians have fled their homes in the town of
Sake after an end of months of relative calm in the area.
The UN says its forces had to use helicopters and ground troops
against dissidents after they were attacked in and around
Sake. Joshua Kyalimpa, FSRN, Kampala.
PINOCHET INDICTED FOR DOUBLE MURDER
Chile's Former dictator Augusto Pinochet has been placed under
house arrest after a Santiago judge ordered his prosecution
for a 1973 double murder. From Santiago FSRN's Jorge Garretón
has more.
The judge is investigating the killing of two former presidential
bodyguards of deposed president Salvador Allende. Pinochet
overthrew the duly elected government of Socialist president
Allende in September 1973. In 2000, Pinochet was charged for
his role in the notorious Caravan of Death case, but the Supreme
Court ruled Pinochet mentally unfit to stand trial. But mental
examinations performed this year proved otherwise. The Supreme
Court lifted Pinochet's immunity and ordered his prosecution
in this case and cases of torture in the infamous Villa Grimaldi
concentration camp. The former dictator also faces charges
of tax evasion and illicit enrichment. For FSRN this is Jorge
Garretón in Santiago.
NEPALESE CITIZENSHIP ACT
Nepal's parliament has passed a landmark Citizenship Act to
facilitate the granting of citizenship rights to some five
million people who have been historically deprived of basic
rights in the country. PC Dubey reports.
The Nepal Citizenship Act of 2006 will allow Dalit, tribal,
and Indian origin 'Madhesi' communities to acquire citizenship
in Nepal. Many of these groups have lived in Nepal for centuries,
but have been deprived of citizenship rights. The major hallmark
of the act lies in ensuring citizenship on the basis of both
birth and descent. Applicants will have to submit property
ownership certificates or their voter registration number
to prove their claim for citizenship. But the representative
of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal, Lena
Sundh, finds the act discriminatory against women, displaced,
and marginalized groups - who are less likely to own homes
or land. Madhesi social analysts welcome the act despite its
shortcomings. Citizenship rights will now allow historically
marginalized groups to have government jobs and to hold political
offices.
[top]
Pilot of Downed F-16 Missing in Iraq
The U.S. Air Force continues to search for the body of an
F-16 pilot who was apparently killed when his plane crashed
northwest of Baghdad Monday. Investigators say that insurgents
may have reached the crash site before U.S. forces did, and
that the pilot’s body is still missing.
[top]
Bush Pressed on Iraq (3:53)
President Bush traveled to the Eastern European nation of
Latvia to meet with fellow NATO members. Although one purpose
of the meeting was to talk about NATO’s role in Afghanistan,
Iraq was the main topic for reporters. FSRN’s Leigh
Ann Caldwell reports.
[top]
Justice Department Begins Internal Investigation
(2:49)
The Justice Department announced that it has begun an internal
investigation of its involvement with the government's controversial
domestic spying program. But as Nan McCurdy reports, the probe
will not examine whether the National Security Agency is violating
the Constitution.
[top]
South-South Summit Kicks Off in Nigeria (2:57)
A summit of African and South American leaders has opened
in Nigeria. The summit, which is the first of its kind, involves
54 African and 12 South American countries. The aim is to
promote political and economic cooperation in the southern
hemisphere – a goal that many say could curtail Europe
and the U.S.’ growing dominance of the global economy.
Sam Olukoya reports.
[top]
Venezuelan Voters Prepare to Vote in Presidential
Election (3:45)
Venezuelan voters will head to the polls on Sunday to decide
whether or not to re-elect Hugo Chavez as president. Marking
the end of the electoral campaign this weekend, both Chavez
and his leading rival held massive marches in Caracas. Mike
Fox reports.
[top]
Struggle to Keep Urban Aboriginal Heartland in Indigenous
Hands (3:39)
Australia's urban aboriginal heartland, The Block, in Sydney's
suburb of Redfern, was feared and considered a no-go zone
for years by white Australians. But this month, an estimated
1000 outsiders stepped onto The Block, as part of a program
by local indigenous communities to educate the wider population
about the area’s significance and the current threat
to its future. Erica Vowles reports.
[top]
Kashmiris Protest Selling of Land for Tourism (3:14)
Mass protests shutdown Indian-administered Kashmir this
weekend, with people demonstrating against government proposals
to lease out land to Indian businessman at a prime tourist
resort in Kashmir. Shahnawaz Khan has more.
[top]
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