September 01, 2006
Headlines (5:25)
BUSH PUSHES SANCTIONS ON IRAN
George Bush’s Ambassador to the United Nations called for sanctions against Iran today. John Bolton’s comments came a day after the Islamic Republic failed to meet a Security Council deadline to modify or scrap its nuclear program.
UN NOT INTERESTED IN IRAN SANCTIONS
The US is virtually alone in its call, however. Haider Rizvi reports from the UN.
100,000 UNEXPLODED BOMBS IN LEBANON
It will take years to clear unexploded cluster bombs used by Israel in Lebanon during the month-long war. That according to Simon Conway of the British group Land mine Action, who spoke to reporters in Geneva today.
VICENTE FOX SAYS FAREWELL
Mexican president Vicente Fox will give his sixth and final presidential report to Congress tonight, amidst uncertainty over who will succeed him. The country’s Federal Electoral Tribunal has until September the 6th to either declare a winner or to annul July’s razor-thin presidential election. An extensive police operation is underway to keep protesters left-wing candidate Andres Manuel Obrador from disrupting today’s presidential report. Federal police began installing metal barricades this morning around the periphery of Mexico’s Congress. Mexico City’s Secretary of Public Security says that 16 different protests are scheduled in various points of the capital city today.
OAXACA “MEGA-MARCH” TODAY
Meanwhile, in the southern state of Oaxaca the movement demanding the resignation of the governor is mobilizing once again. Shannon Young reports from Oaxaca City.
60 UNION HOTEL-WORKERS ARRESTED IN SAN FRANCISCO
The union that represents more than 4,000 hotel workers in San Francisco is promising more protests after 60 people, including a city supervisor, were arrested in front of a downtown hotel. Max Pringle reports.
Features
Anniversary of Minium Wage, at $5.15 an Hour for Almost a Decade (3:43)
More new jobs were created in the United States this past month, 128,000 of them, slightly surpassing government expectations. But it’s a somber anniversary for workers at the lowest end of the pay scale. As FSRN’s Leigh Ann Caldwell reports, it’s been nine years since the federal minium wage was increased to today’s rate, $5.15 per hour.
Hundreds Attempt to Shut Down EU’s Largest Coal-Fueled Power Plant (2:30)
In July the UK government published an energy review designed to both tackle climate change and secure affordable energy for the future. The plan is to use a mix of nuclear, renewable and conventional fossil fuel power stations. Concerned that the Government will miss its 2020 target to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by a fifth, hundreds of people tried to shut down the EU’s largest coal-fueled power plant. Tom Allan has the story:
Nigeria Frees 10,000 Prisoners (2:30)
Nigeria plans to release about 10,000 people who have spent up to ten years in prison without trial. under the Nigerian LAW, suspected criminals are usually kept under harsh prison conditions, and sometimes for up to 15 years without trial. The government has for several years been under pressure from local human rights groups to reform its prisons whose conditions are in violation of inmate’s rights. Sam Olukoya reports from Lagos.
EU Plans to Curb Migration from Africa (3:50)
In 2006, some 19,000 illegal immigrants traveled on dugouts to reach Spain. This resulted to the Spanish enclaves of Melila and Cueta being closed. Today, EU has vowed to strengthen EU border control agency Frontex, to handle the flow of immigrants arriving in Spain. But with the use of Global Positioning System (GPS), and without jobs, Senegalese youngsters are still determined to go. In Senegal, Ndiaga Seck has more.
Indian Army Violates Ancestral Land (3:13)
In the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, a predominantly tribal region, the Indian Army is gearing to set up its firing practice range. But some half a million tribal fraternities facing displacement are dead against the firing range and have embarked upon an indefinite peaceful agitation to abort the Army’s plan, PC Dubey has more.
Guatemala Cracking Down on Opium Production (3:23)
The Guatemalan police and military began cracking down this week on poppy-growers in the mountains of northwestern Guatemala. Since Monday, they claim to have eradicated 4.5 million poppy plants. The plants are processed to make heroin in labs across the border in Mexico. They also captured several leaders of organized crime and confiscated weapons. Local authorities and human rights workers applaud the operation thus far, but say the bigger fish are still getting away. Jill Replogle reports from San Marcos, Guatemala.
